Stalker
by friendoftheearth
Summary: AU. Both Jackson's and Aaron's lives are in danger.
1. Chapter 1

Stalker

Part 1

They'd had a row, a huge one, one that had started off as a misunderstanding and quickly escalated into an all out slanging match. They'd both said things they didn't mean, both said things they would always regret. Then Jackson had tossed some of his stuff in a holdall and stormed out, Aaron making no effort to stop him. They believed it was over between them and neither one of them cared right then, but just minutes later as the anger began to subside, as rational thought began to return, they were both ruing what had happened and fearing they'd lost the other for good.

They were both hurting, left smarting, Aaron unable to believe Jackson could just walk out on him, Jackson unable to believe Aaron had made no attempt to stop him. They ached for each other but they were both too proud too stubborn to make the first move and apologise, neither one thought they were to blame for the bust up, each believing it was all the others fault...

He kept checking his phone, hoping there would be a message, that he'd somehow missed a call. It had been three days now, not to mention three nights, and still there was nothing. He knew where Jackson was, he was staying with a mate, a straight mate so he had no problem with that, but he did have a problem with him not beng where he was supposed to be, where he belonged...with him.

Paddy had said he was sick of him moping round the house, sick of his miserable face, sick of his childish sulking. He'd threatened to bang his and Jackson's heads together if he could just get the two of them in the same room.

It had been Paddy's idea to go to Bar West, "It's Friday night, he'll be there, expecting you to turn up, you always go there on a Friday night."

Yeah they did always go there on a Friday night, only they went there together, as a couple and had ever since he'd seen sense and realised that what he felt for Jackson was love. It's where they'd met, it's where they were guaranteed a good night. It had become a habit a ritual, one they never tired of.

It didn't feel right going there on his own though, it felt like he was on the pull, no it just didn't seem right to his thinking, and anyway Jackson might not turn up. He might not want to see him, and what if he was there but with someone else? No, no he didn't want to believe that, he knew Jackson loved him. Paddy was right, he'd be there waiting for him.

He'd taken his time getting ready, pulling on a shirt he knew Jackson liked him in, patting on what was probably a bit too much of his favourite aftershave; the one he always said turned him on. Finally after checking himself out in the mirror he told himself he'd do and made his way downstairs.

He'd been going to catch a bus but Paddy had been standing by the front door, car keys in hand, determined to drive him into town, to make sure he went where he was supposed to be going. He'd snapped at the older man, told him to stop treating him like a kid and Paddy had told him he would if he stopped acting like one.

Knowing he had a captive audience Paddy had given him one of his pep talks, one about relationships, telling him how arguments could be healthy but not if you let them fester. He'd gone on and on but he had to admit everything he said made sense. He shouldn't have left it this long to reach out to Jackson, he should have called him, gone to see him, swallowed his pride and told him he was sorry, and that he loved him and wanted him to come home.

As usual the club was heaving, all the tables were occupied and so he took root by the bar, his eyes scanning the length and breadth of the place and quickly realising Jackson wasn't there. His heart sank, weighed down by disappointment and hurt, he'd let himself believe Jackson would be here and finding out he wasn't had come as a huge blow.

Then suddenly he wasn't alone, someone was talking to him, chatting him up! The other bloke Matt, was about his age, his height, was fairly good looking and seemed nice enough, seemed pretty keen too but he had absolutely no interest in him, he was interested in no one but Jackson and so had politely told him he was with someone, was waiting for him to come. He'd got a good natured "Oh well, no harm in trying!" in return, and he'd watched Matt as he quickly moved on to another wallflower. He couldn't believe it when just five minutes later someone else made a move on him. Barry or Baz as he said he liked to be called was a few years older than him, a lot shorter and again nice enough looking. He should he supposed be flattered by all the interest but he wasn't. Baz was proving a lot more persistent than Matt had been. He just couldn't get rid of him; even though he'd told him he was waiting for his boyfriend he still stood their bending his ear. Deciding Baz was just in need of some company he took pity on him chatting away amicably, careful not to give him the wrong signals, and all the time his eyes were fixed on the entrance door willing the man he loved to walk through it.

Suddenly he did and he felt his heart somersault in his chest. He could see Jackson was looking around the club, looking for someone...looking for him. When their eyes did finally meet there was just a few seconds hesitation, a little uncertainty on both their parts, and then they were smiling, walking towards each other through the crowd. Heartfelt apologies followed by a passionate kiss at long last putting everything right between them.

They'd stayed for one drink, then left to pick up Jackson's stuff, travelling back to Emmerdale in his van. After letting Paddy know they were home they'd disappeared up the stairs, and had slept in late the next morning. Paddy waking them with some disturbing news, sometime during the night all four tyres on Jackson's van had been violently shredded.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Stalker

Part 2

He couldn't believe his eyes, didn't want to believe his eyes and had slowly walked around his van weighing up the damage. One tyre was expensive enough but four! It was going to cost him a small fortune, one he really didn't have at the moment, all his money was tied up in the supplies he needed for his present job. He was going to have to dip into his savings, money he was planning to use to pay for a much needed holiday for him and Aaron. He could claim on his insurance but then he didn't want to lose his no claims bonus. Whatever he did he would ultimately be out of pocket. It was all such a sickener!

He needed his van to work and he needed to work to keep his van on the road. Fortunately the senseless act had happened at the weekend, a weekend he wasn't working; it gave him time to sort the tyres out without losing any grafting time.

Somehow he'd managed to forget just how close at hand help was, and was soon realising it wasn't such a big a blow after all. He could hear Aaron on his mobile, talking to his uncle. After checking the tyre size the younger man asked Cain if he could get his hands on four of what they needed today and at cost. The answer had been yes just as long as they could pick them up themselves later that morning. All he'd have to do then was get the van down the hill, Aaron could fit the new tyres at the garage. Problem solved... but not explained.

They'd gone inside then, sat at the kitchen table where Paddy had pressed a mug of tea into his hands. The older man urging him to call the police, he though didn't think it was worth it, they'd never find out who'd done it or why now. The culprit wasn't likely to be hanging round waiting to own up to what he'd done. It would be a waste of police time not to mention his own.

The three of them had sat there then mulling over who could be responsible. He didn't want to believe it was anyone local, that it might be someone he knew. There were no yobs in the village, no head cases; there was no one around there capable of doing something like that. It had to be someone passing through...but then Emmerdale wasn't a place you just passed through.

It just didn't make sense, he couldn't understand why anyone would want to do it...unless it had something to do with the fact he was gay! He wouldn't be the first gay man to be targeted because of his sexuality. No, no he didn't believe that had anything to do with it, everyone was so accepting of him and Aaron in the village, no one had a problem with them individually or as a couple. He'd kept that thought to himself, it didn't seem to have occurred to either Aaron or Paddy, and Aaron was angry enough about what had happened he didn't want to stir him up some more.

He was just going to have to accept it had happened and forget about it, he certainly wasn't going to let it get to him, he'd been on such a high last night after making up with Aaron and again this morning on waking up to find him in his arms. After three miserable days and nights apart he wasn't going to let anything spoil his day.

By one o'clock the van was sorted, ready for the road and it had cost him much less than he'd first thought it would, still it was an expense he could have well done without and if he ever got his hands on the person responsible he'd make them rue the day they'd picked on him!

The vandalism hadn't gone unnoticed; it seemed to be the topic of conversation where ever they went. The villagers were appalled, things like that didn't happen in Emmerdale. No one had seen or heard anything, not that he'd expected to hear any differently, the van was parked more or less under his and Aaron's bedroom window and they'd not heard a damn thing.

They'd gone to the Woolpack for a lunchtime drink, and as he waited for a run off his feet Bob to serve him his phone had rung. He'd answered it only hear silence on the other end, he'd hung up and checked the number but there hadn't been one, it had been withheld. He'd thought it odd but it was soon forgotten once he'd rejoined Aaron by the table. The row they'd had, the three day separation, had shaken them both badly. They were sticking to each other like glue, hanging on to each other's every word, probably making more effort than was necessary, but at the stage their relationship was at, things like that shouldn't happen. The fact it had had scared the hell out of both of them, and what scared them even more was that it might have gone on indefinitely if Paddy hadn't intervened.

He been sat looking at his phone, willing it to ring, desperate to hear from Aaron. Then he'd got a text, from Paddy, it simple said 'Bar West'. He'd stared at it mystified, then suddenly it had hit him, it was Friday night Aaron was there waiting for him! He'd took the quickest shower ever, had had to wrestle his clothes over still damp skin and then had sprinted to the club.

They'd made up and he couldn't have been any happier or more determined to not let anything come between them ever again.

The lunchtime drink had turned into an afternoon session, Paddy and Marlon joining them and challenging them to a game of darts. The best of three had turned into all out war, Aaron determined not to let the oldies beat them, but they had and they'd rubbed the fact in mercilessly too. During those few hours his phone had rung several times, each time the number was withheld and again there had been no one on the other end. The fact his mood was so good had made it just a minor irritation.

They'd eventually made their way home for tea, needing something to soak up the alcohol they'd consumed, then after Paddy had thoughtfully invited himself over to Marlon's to watch a DVD, he and Aaron had curled up together on the sofa, making up for lost time.

They'd had another early night and he'd checked on his van before going to bed, he didn't usually but after what had happened the night before he'd felt the need. After making sure it was locked he'd made his way inside and upstairs, forgetting his concerns the second he'd got in bed beside Aaron.

They'd had another rude awakening the next morning, Paddy again knocking on their door with more unwanted news. He'd been going to pick up his Sunday paper and on seeing the van had hurried back inside.

His van had been targeted again, not the tyres this time but the paintwork, more specifically the name emblazoned on the van's sides and doors, his name. Someone had zigzagged through the bold black lettering with something sharp.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Stalker

Part 3

Yesterday Paddy had urged him to call the police today he was insisting he did, saying that whoever had damaged his van in that way had to have a sick mind. Paddy was usually so level headed, nothing threw him normally but this had unnerved him and it was rubbing off on Aaron, and although the younger man was no fan of the boys in blue he was insisting he involve them too.

Again he didn't think there was much point, and anyway he was more concerned about how much it would cost to put the damage right than anything else, it wasn't just a van to him it was a mark of achievement. He'd worked damn hard to set up his own business; he'd worked hard to pay for the van. He'd started off with a rust bucket, it had served its purpose though and when he'd had enough money in the bank he'd invested in something new, and then when he'd saved some more he'd had a professional adorn it with his name, line of business and mobile number. Just as he'd expected it had paid to advertise, he'd got a lot of work that way. It wasn't going to attract business the way it was looking now though was it? It was more likely to put people off!

With Aaron nagging at him in one ear and Paddy in the other he'd eventually agreed to involve the police. After reporting the two incidents over the phone he was told an officer would call round. He duly did...four hours later, understandably a vandalised van wasn't top of the list of police priorities, which was another reason he'd been reluctant to involve them. The officer was round about Paddy's age, was friendly enough and seemed genuinely sympathetic and determind to find whoever was responsible.

Aaron had sat at the table with him and the constable, Paddy hovering supportively in the background.

The police officer had gone through all the formalities, taken his details, then details of the events of the previous two nights. After asking about the village, if anything else untoward had happened recently, he'd then asked if he knew of anyone who might have a grudge against him. That question had taken him by surprise, he hadn't really thought along those lines, why would anyone have a grudge against him? He'd not stepped on anyone's toes; he got on with everyone or tried to. He'd tried to shoot down that idea with a firm no but the officer had pushed the matter, asking if he'd recently parted on less than friendly terms with a girlfriend, the policeman's face had been a picture when he'd told him he'd parted with his previous boyfriend well over a year ago and that he had had no reason to be that peed off at him, Then he'd been asked if any of his clients had been left less than satisfied with his work, he'd given the officer a confident no, and told him he took pride in his work, that it was of the highest standard and he had glowing endorsements to prove it.

The next question was if he had an alarm on his van. He did have one it just wasn't working, hadn't been for some time now. He knew Aaron would have sorted it for him but well he'd been a bit lax there, he hadn't thought to mention it to him. The fact was he didn't think he needed one. He didn't keep much in the van, he rented a lockup and that's where he kept his supplies, it wasn't big enough for his van though and anyway he needed it to get from A to B, he'd not scraped enough together to as yet get himself a car as well. He always kept the van in what he considered safe areas...like outside Smithy cottage in idyllic Emmerdale.

The officer had encouraged him to get it fixed or install a new one and if he could to keep the van off the road out of temptations way.

He probably did need a new one, he doubted the alarm he had could be fixed, only an alarm system was going to set him back another what one...two hundred quid? More maybe, his savings were fast disappearing, one good thing, Aaron would fit it free of charge.

Paddy had disappeared out through the front door soon after they'd discussed the alarm, returning just as the policeman was leaving. He'd been carrying something, a box and he'd set it in his hands.

"Paddy?"

"It's an early Christmas present."

On closer inspection he'd realised it was an expensive one too! It was an alarm for his van, "I can't take this..." He'd protested, "I'll pay you for it..."

"No you won't!" Paddy had stated brooking no argument, "You don't have the cash, I do and I've just bought myself some peace of mind."

He didn't like that Paddy was worrying so much, he didn't think there was any need, and he certainly didn't like the older man laying out so much money on his behalf, but he did truly appreciate it, and he would pay him back just as soon as he could.

He'd helped Aaron fit it the alarm, or hindered him depending on how you looked at it, as he'd worked Aaron had suggested he keep the van at his uncle Zaks, but he'd decided against it, he wanted it where he could see it, and anyway he was confident nothing else would happen to it. Whoever it was had had their fun, there wasn't much else they could do to it.

Once again one of Cain's many contacts had come to the rescue, he was willing to repair the damage at mates rates, it was still going to cost though and unlike the tyres it wasn't something that could be sorted straight away.

The phone calls had started again that afternoon, he hadn't mentioned them to the police, he'd forgot all about them, but it had started him wondering if they were perhaps connected to the attacks on his property. They'd stopped after a couple of hours though and by bedtime he'd put them to the back of his mind.

Aaron had heard the alarm first, and he'd woke him up with an elbow to the ribs. The younger man was out of the bedroom door and halfway down the stairs before he'd even got his boxers on, he'd chased after him, he didn't want Aaron confronting whoever it was that was out there on his own. He'd found the younger man stood on the road, scouring the area around him. The street lights and a full moon offered ample light, but there was no one to be seen, the village was deserted. Then as he'd reset the alarm they'd heard a car start, the engine noise coming from around the corner, they'd both run in that direction but by the time they'd got there the only thing to be seen were it lights just before it disappeared around a bend.

Paddy was now outside in his pyjamas, standing at the back of the van, shaking his head.

They'd quickly joined him and could now see what was upsetting him, Aaron was soon making his feelings known, "Fuckin' hell, it's paint!" Red paint had been daubed all over the back doors.

"It's not paint..." Paddy said quietly, "It's blood!"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Stalker

Part 4

Paddy had rung the police there and then, he himself had wanted to wait until the morning to do it but his friend wasn't having that and neither was Aaron. They had come more or less straight away, the fact a sizable amount of blood was involved seemingly warranted urgent investigation.

As well as the blood on the doors and what had dripped and then pooled on the road, the police officers had found a trail of crimson droplets leading around the corner, it stopped where he and Aaron had estimated the mysterious car to have been parked. That seemingly tied the car and the incident together and that was the sum total of what the police had to go on. They had no chance of finding out who the culprit was from that.

He'd had to give another statement, and he'd again been asked if he was aware of upsetting or offending anyone, of giving anyone reason to want to retaliate in some way. He'd shaken his head; if he had he couldn't remember doing so! Like the officer who'd come out to them the day before the two police constables were sympathetic, and also very apologetic stating that although events had taken a disturbing turn, as things stood there was little they could do. They'd told him to carry on as normal but to be extra vigilant. It was his property that had been attacked not him personally and they had no reason to think it would change or to even continue. The fact the offender had been disturbed might well have been enough to frighten him off for good.

He'd lost half a morning's work because of the latest injustice, that's how long it had taken the police to establish that the blood used on his van wasn't human but animal, pig's blood in fact. Only then had they let him anywhere near his van. The first thing he'd done was clean it, using Paddy's jet wash to remove all trace of the gruesome find. If he... and Jackson was convinced it was a 'he' that was doing this... hadn't been scared off by the alarm he'd have no doubt smeared it everywhere and not just on the back doors.

It was an unusually warm spring day and in the heat the blood's sickly coppery smell had quickly turned the surrounding air rank, it had made him want to heave. But the cleaning up of the mess had proved therapeutic; he just wished he could wash away everything else that had happened as easily.

Aaron had been watching from the sidelines trying to talk him into not going to work at all today. He was scared for him, Paddy too... everyone knew he'd unofficially adopted Aaron as his son and since he and Aaron had become a couple, become so very close he'd taken him under his wing too, and if he was honest with himself he liked the parental concern especially as his own dad was no longer in the picture. But he thought they were both over reacting here, they seemed to think some sort of nutcase was at work! He didn't believe that or was it that he didn't want to believe it? Whatever the case he wasn't going to let it scare him, that just gave more power to what was already an unknown quantity. More than anything he was bewildered by it all. He just couldn't understand why anyone would do such a thing let alone do it to him. Aaron was more than a little annoyed with him about his apparent lack of concern, he kept saying he wasn't taking what had been happening seriously, but he was, he just wasn't getting in a panic about it.

There was no way he could take the rest of the day off, he had a deadline to meet, a bonus was riding on it and now more than ever he needed that extra cash. His present job was renovating a mid terrace house, turning it into two self contained flats. The owner wanted it ready asap, he had tenants waiting. The house was on a fairly busy street, just on the outskirts of Hotton, it had plenty of passing traffic and pedestrians. His van was parked right outside the property, he hadn't thought for a minute that anyone would approach it here, not in broad daylight, but he'd been wrong...

As he'd worked he'd tried not to think about what had been happening and he'd more or less succeeded but every now and again a stray thought would get past his defences and he'd ask himself why? Why were they doing it. He had no answer of course and would quickly shrug off the resulting unease forcing himself to think about something else, just like now. He checked his watch, it was three o'clock, time he decided, for a drink and a sarnie, He made his way outside, and got in his van. He'd just unwrapped his sandwiches when through his open window and the open front door he heard his phone ringing, he'd left it in the house, on the landing where he'd been plastering the wall. He guessed it was Aaron checking up on him and not wanting him to worry he'd thrown open the van door and sprinted inside, taking the stairs two at a time. But by the time he'd reached the phone it had stopped ringing. Expecting to see a missed call from Aaron he was thrown to see the missed call had no number attached, was it another one of those phone calls? It had to be. He made his way back downstairs, dragging his feet suddenly in no hurry to get anywhere, He'd been about to get back in his van when he saw something on his seat, something that had him recoil in disgust, It was a rat...a dead one! His phone was bleeping now, alerting him to a text message, again he expected to see Aaron's name illuminated but the screen was blank, he tentatively opened the text, the message sent a chill up and down his spine, it read ... You're next!

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Stalker

Part 5

His first reaction had been to look around him. He knew he was being watched, he could sense a pair of eyes on him. Where the hell was the bastard?

There were countless people milling about, just across the road there was a couple walking hand in hand, and walking towards them a middle-aged man with a scruffy looking dog, two old ladies were chin-wagging outside the newsagents just a little further up the road from him. And there were others, all going about their business, all seemingly unaware of him, but someone somewhere was. Maybe he was watching him from a window, from a parked car; he knew he couldn't be all that far away.

He had to fight against the sudden urge to get in his van and drive. The dead rodent, the apparent threat and the very fact his tormentor had got within feet of him unnoticed had unnerved him.

He took a steadying breath, he wasn't going to be intimidated, he wasn't going to run home and hide behind his front door. It was going to take a lot more than that to scare him!

/

_**He knew he couldn't be seen, not where he was standing, but he had a good view of Jackson Walsh... he wasn't smiling now was he, not like he'd been smiling that night! He wasn't looking so pleased with himself anymore. No! He'd brought him down a peg or two, and he'd had it coming... and he wasn't finished with him yet!**_

**/**

He couldn't tell Aaron about what had just happened, he knew it would freak him out and he didn't want him worrying needlessly. He supposed he should tell the police, they'd told him not to hesitate to ring if anything else happened, well something else had happened and it had taken it to another level. He'd call in at the police station on his way home, that way no one else need know.

Picking up the rat by its tail he tossed it into the nearby skip, shuddering involuntarily as he did so, he hated rats. He no longer had an appetite and his sandwiches quickly followed suit. Knowing he still had so much more work to do on the house, he secured his van and went back inside, closing the front door firmly behind him.

/

_**He couldn't see him now, after discarding the little surprise he'd left him Walsh had disappeared indoors. There wasn't much point him hanging around now... but he'd be back... later.**_

/

He'd turned the radio up and thrown himself into his work, losing himself in the music and his labour, pushing all thought of what had happened to the back of his mind. He'd finished plastering the wall in record time, and then took a step back to admire his handiwork, and that's when his phone had started to ring. It had startled him and brought everything flooding back and he'd stood there staring at it, wary of answering it. But not for long, after silently blasting himself for being such a wimp he snatched it up and held it to his ear, not even looking to see who it was calling.

"_**Hi, you ok?"**_

It was Aaron, and his voice had just sent a ripple of pleasure through him, warming him, chasing away all remaining unease. There was just something about the way his voice sounded over the phone that got to him, that made him literally ache for him. He'd assured him he was fine, then asked how his day was going, listened to him moan on about Cain, the older man was in a bad mood and everyone within a mile of the garage was copping it, and Aaron being the closest was really getting it in the neck. The conversation had moved on to other things, had flowed easily back and forth just like it always did, they always had plenty to say to each other, only this time there was something he was avoiding talking about. Half an hour had passed before they knew it, a good five minutes of that had been Aaron trying to talk him out of working late, he had to though, he needed to make up the time he'd lost that morning. He'd reluctantly ended the call then, heaving a sigh before getting on with his work.

The next few hours had flown by, and on looking at his watch and finding it had gone seven, he told himself it was time to call it a day. He hadn't realised it was that late and he still had to go to the police station...no he didn't. He was starting to think he'd over reacted now, well was a lifeless rat and an anonymous ambiguous text really something to get so worked up about? The police probably wouldn't think so, and right now he just didn't have the energy to follow it up. He'd be ages at the police station if he did go, and he was tired, hungry and more than anything eager to see his boyfriend. He could always call there in the morning.

One good thing about working late was that he'd missed the rush hour traffic and the drive through town had been hassle free. He was on the home stretch now, on the country road that would take him directly into Emmerdale, another ten minutes and he'd be home, he'd have a shower, something to eat then he'd take Aaron for a pint, he'd worked up a thirst and he was certain the younger man had too.

The road was quite, seemingly just him on it, well that wasn't unusual for this time of the evening. Just a minute or so later though as he checked his rear view mirror, he noticed another vehicle, another van, it had come out of nowhere and looked to be travelling fast. 'Idiot!' he thought to himself, the road was all bends, it was certainly not the place to speed. He wasn't surprised to see when he next looked in his mirror, that the van was right behind him. He knew there was a bit of a straight run up ahead; he'd slow down and let him pass.

As he eased his foot onto the brake he suddenly felt a shuddering jolt from behind, the van had gone into the back of him! He'd been going to pull over, wanting to check for damage, determined that if he found any the other driver would be the one coughing up for it. But as he'd flicked on his indicator he'd felt his van shunted from behind again, and then again. What the hell was the dickhead playing at?

Suddenly he realised it had been no accidental bump, that it had been intentional, that someone was deliberately running in to the back of him. Was this the same creep who'd left the dead rat? Was it the sicko who'd sent him the text? Something told him it was and he realised now he should have taken the threat more seriously... because whoever this was, he'd now pulled out on to the other side of the road, and it was clear he wasn't just trying to overtake him... he'd just swerved to his left, into his van, causing him in turn to swerve into the hedgerow. As he struggled to right the van he'd realised what the other driver was now doing, he was trying to run him off the road!

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Stalker

Part 6

"He's late." Aaron stated as he peered out of the window willing Jackson's van to pull up outside.

"He said he would be." Paddy countered trying to ease the younger man's concerns.

"Not this late! It's gone eight." He hadn't meant to snap at the older man, it was just that he had a bad feeling about what had been happening and the fact Jackson just kept shrugging it off made him worry even more.

"He's probably lost track of time."

"Yeah." He agreed half-heartedly, Jackson had a habit of doing that when he was working.

"Come and sit down will you, you're making me nervous." Aaron had been pacing the floor for the last ten minutes and it was starting to get to him, it was adding to the unease already rife in the room.

Aaron absently obeyed, his thoughts were elsewhere and he was soon thinking aloud, "I wish he wasn't so laid back about everything."

"I thought that was one of the many things you liked about him, that cool calm and collected way of his."

He did, normally, but not when some crackpot was giving him grief! "I just wish he'd take what's been happening to him seriously that's all!

Paddy nodded, he wished Jackson would too; like Aaron he thought there was more going on here than met the eye.

"I wish I knew who it was, why they're doing it. Jackson of all people! Everyone likes him, everyone! Now if it was me I'd be spoilt for choice for people I'd rubbed up the wrong way, for someone who'd want to hit back at me, teach me a lesson... Paddy!" A thought had just hit him... and it made a lot of sense, more sense than believing someone could have something against Jackson.

"What?"

"Whoever it is doing all these things could be trying to get to me through Jackson. Hurt him, hurt me!"

"No!"

His mind was working overtime now, trying to think of someone with the sort of sick mentality needed to splatter pig's blood over someone's property, "You know it could be that Wayne! That knob who gave me all that crap when I was on community payback. He wasn't right in the head and Jackson stepped in when he came after me!"

"Where's he been til now if it is him? It's getting on for a year now isn't it? No he'll have forgotten all about the two of you..." Maybe he shouldn't just dismiss this Wayne out of hand, "...we could mention him to the police, they said if we thought of anyone to let them know."

He wasn't really listening to Paddy now he was too busy putting two and two together in his head, "And there's not just him..." He looked the older man steadily in the eye, "Paddy I've pissed off loads of people you know I have..."

"I know no such thing!" Yes Aaron had been a right tearaway, with a gob on him he himself had often wanted to slap shut. He'd upset a lot of the locals when he'd first come here but he was just a kid, a troubled one and they'd all known that. He'd long since got his act together and was well liked. The only one he could think of round here that he had seriously hacked off was Carl King, He'd had a pop at Aaron a few times, thankfully he'd been there to haul him off the lad, and because of his mum and Carl's tumultuous relationship there was still a lot of bad feeling between them, but no way would Carl do anything so sick, no way, he was a good man at heart.

"It's got something to do with me I know it has!" Aaron insisted, he was suddenly very sure of that.

/

The adrenaline was running now, coursing through his veins. He was ready to fight back in some way. So did he try to outrun the prick? No not on this road... he had a better idea. Bracing himself he slammed on the brakes and was instantly deafened by the screaming of the van's tyres as they protested his actions.

His eyes had been glued to the other van and he'd watched it carry on past him, trying to get a glimpse of whoever was at the wheel but he couldn't see a damn thing through its tinted glass! And then, when it was just a little further along the road, probably when its driver had realised what he'd done, he saw its brake lights illuminate and thought he too was stopping. His heart had beat a little faster in anticipation, but the creep must have thought better of it because he suddenly picked up speed and quickly disappeared around a distant bend in the road.

He sat there motionless for a minute or so, shock now had him in its grasp. He'd then slowly tried to collect himself, slow his breathing down so too his heart rate, it was thundering painfully in his chest, and his hands...his hands were still on the steering wheel, his grip had been so tight on it that his knuckles had turned white! He eased them off only to find they were shaking, and realised then that his whole body was shaking. He was loath to admit it but the violent encounter had scared the hell out of him, just like it was intended to do!

A few more minutes passed as he took stock of the situation, pondered on what to do next. He decided the first thing he needed to do was get out the van and check it over, but the voice of caution was asking... what if the maniac was to come back? He'd be easy pickings standing in the middle of the road. He was being stupid now, even if the creep did come back he'd have plenty of time to get to safety, and anyway it wouldn't take him a minute. He climbed out of his cab and found his legs were more than a little wobbly but at least the rest of him had stopped shaking.

"For fucks sake!" There was a dent the size of Hotton and a mass of scratches on the side of his van, his back bumper was badly scratched too, add that to the defacing that had already taken place and his beloved van was in a right sorry state. He wasn't going to be able to hide it from Aaron! He was just going to have to tell him and Paddy everything. He'd ring the police first though.

Aaron had been waiting for him by the front door, he had something on his mind, something he was eager to tell him but it was going to have to wait, he wanted to tell him what had happened before the police came, and they'd promised to be right round.

Aaron and Paddy had taken the news about the rat and the threat fairly calmly, it had obviously shaken them both but like he expected it was when he'd told them about the white van that the shit had well and truly hit the fan. He knew Aaron would take it badly but he was still taken aback by his reaction.

"They tried to run you off the road!"

"They were just trying to scare me."

"Scare you! Jackson they were trying to fucking kill you!"

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Stalker

Part 7

"Who the hell would want to kill me?" He refused to believe anyone did, he had had to accept that someone was waging some sort of sick hate campaign against him, that someone was wanting to terrorize him for whatever perverse reason they had... but he couldn't believe anyone could actually want to kill him. "Aaron this is Emmerdale not Midsomer!"

That comment was perhaps a little too flippant for the situation, it certainly hadn't gone down well with Aaron, he'd seen red, again accused him of not taking what had happened seriously, but he was, and he'd had his moment of panic when he was in the van, but he was thinking clearly again now, rationally and whoever the bastard was targeting him he was determined he wasn't going to let him win. He wasn't going to make him scared of his own shadow and he would be if he thought for one minute that someone wanted him dead!

He just hadn't been able to reason with Aaron, what had happened had shaken him even more than him it seemed. But he loved him, of course he would worry about him, he could understand that but he couldn't understand him thinking that what had happened had something to do with him. Aaron had told him his suspicions about Wayne Dobson, he'd had to ask who he was, he'd forgotten all about that plonker, from what he had remembered about Dobson he knew he didn't have two brain cells to rub together, he just wasn't capable of masterminding anything like this.

Paddy was never one to overreact and had kept his cool, relieved to hear he'd already called the police, the older man was eager to know what they thought about the latest development and more importantly what they intended doing about it.

Well after listening to him detail the incident then questioning him on it, the police had said they weren't convinced it was a serious attempt on his life. That it was more likely to be a totally unrelated case of road rage and actually he could see their point. He and Aaron had seen a car the night before, not a van, so there was no obvious connection there. The police had then reasoned that the white van driver might have been impatient to overtake him, well he had seemed in a hurry, and as he had slowed down just before the first impact, they suggested that that might have been the cause of it rather than the van deliberately going into the back of him. It could have angered the other driver and then set things escalating into madness... that's what happened with road rage. It sounded feasible certainly more feasibly than the idea that someone was trying to kill him.

Aaron though wouldn't have it, he kept saying it was too much of a coincidence and that the police should be taking it seriously. They'd assured him they were and that they would be investigating the matter further, but that they wouldn't be doing their job correctly if they didn't explore all possibities. They'd informed him that one of their investigating officers was on his way to take pictures of the van, to take paint samples, the other van had to have left something of its paintwork behind. They'd told him there and then that with so many white vans on the road it would probably prove impossible to narrow it down to just one. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. They were also going to check out the area of road the incident had taken place, he knew the only thing they'd find there were his tyre marks. They'd taken his phone details; they would get his network to trace the calls if possible. Then Aaron had made a point of giving them Wayne's details, well what details he knew, and the police had promised to look into any possible involvement by him.

He had started to feel really foolish by then, that it was all unnecessary, that'd he'd over reacted, that the rat and the threat had spooked him and made him make more of what had happened with the white van than he should have done, that he'd blown it up out of all proportion.

When the police had finally left he'd gone upstairs for a much needed shower, Aaron had followed him, bending his ear as he'd first washed away the sweat and grime and then as he dried and dressed himself. The younger man kept going over the same old ground, what had happened and his thoughts on why, and of course about him not taking it seriously enough for his liking. By the time they'd returned to the kitchen it had turned into an argument, one that was growing increasingly heated. That's when Paddy had stepped in, loudly reminding them of their very recent set-to and how it had ended, going on to then blast them both for letting something that should for all intents and purposes bring them together not push them apart. After verbally banging their heads together he'd stalked off to the Woolpack, telling them he for one was in need of a drink and if they wanted one they'd better make up quick because the pub wouldn't be open much longer.

He'd pulled Aaron into his arms then, holding him tight, offering reassurance and comfort in an embrace. The younger man had clung to him and only then had he realised just how badly this had scared him, just how afraid for him he was. That was when he'd made Aaron a promise he wasn't destined to keep, "I'll be careful, I won't let anything happen to me."

They'd stepped outside into the encroaching dusk, Aaron locking the front door, they didn't usually lock the doors not until they went to bed but the younger man felt the need tonight and he wasn't going to make any comment about him doing so. He'd turned around to look up at darkening sky, that's when he'd heard it... a gunshot... a fraction of a second later he was enveloped by nothingness.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Stalker

Part 8

All he could hear was sirens. All he could see was blood, Jackson's blood...

He'd caught him as he fell, cradled him in his arms and frantically shouted for help, and from the village below help had come running.

He'd pleaded with Jackson to open his eyes, begged and begged him to but there had been no response.

"The ambulance is on its way" someone had told him, "Jimmy's gone for Paddy" a familiar voice had assured him.

Then Paddy was there, he was the nearest the village had to a doctor and he'd eased an unconscious Jackson from his arms, laying him gently onto the cold hard ground. He'd wanted to protest that injustice but all he could get past his lips was "Help him, please Paddy help him."

Through his tears he'd watched Paddy examine the wound, listened as the older man called out orders to those standing nearby; he needed more light, a towel...something... anything to stem the crimson flow.

His key was still in the front door and he'd watched Rodney let himself in, switch on the hall light before disappearing into the kitchen, reappearing soon after with an armful of tea towels, to then get down on his hands and knees to help Paddy.

Suddenly there seemed to be too much light, he could see more than he wanted to, Jackson was so very pale ... and there was so much blood...

He kept shaking his head in disbelief. This wasn't happening! It couldn't be happening. It should never have happened!

Paddy was talking to him, trying to reassure him, telling him Jackson would be alright, but that didn't make sense... how could he be alright with a bullet in his head?

The police had arrived then. The very same two policemen who'd convinced Jackson the incident with the van had been a case of road rage. He knew it hadn't been, and he'd tried to tell them that. He'd got to his feet and raged at them, they were to blame for this, they'd let it happen. He'd felt someone's hands on him then, hauling him out of the police officers faces, Jimmy. As he'd struggled against him the older man had told him to calm down, to let them do their job. Do their job? If they'd been doing their job Jackson wouldn't have been shot, he wouldn't be lying on the ground bleeding now.

They looked efficient enough now though, one crouching down talking to Paddy to then speak into his radio, wanting to know how soon the ambulance would be there and asking for more officers to attend the scene. The other moving the growing crowd back, out of the way.

The ambulance seemed to have taken forever to get there, but he knew it hadn't been all that long. Once the paramedics did arrive they didn't waste any time and they were soon on the way to the hospital, Jackson's head bandaged, a drip in his arm, and an oxygen mask on his face.

He'd sat in the waiting area, dazed and strangely numb. A nurse taking Jackson's details from him. His mum was abroad, his dad was in this country but god knows where so he'd put himself down as next of kin. He'd been going to say he was Jackson's boyfriend but that hadn't sounded right somehow, so he'd said partner instead, that gave their relationship much more meaning, at least in his eyes it did. Jackson was everything to him.

His mum and Paddy had arrived shortly after, and they'd sat with him as he'd waited for news. It was sometime later before they heard anything, but it had all been good!

It seemed the bullet had grazed the side of Jackson's head, the impact rendering him unconscious. The resulting wound bleeding profusely, scalp wounds always did the doctor had informed them, tending to make things look a lot worse than they usually were. The scan and x-rays showed nothing to cause concern, so apart from a probable concussion there should be no complications. Jackson just needed to come around now, and that could take several hours. The doctor was more than happy with him and had told them, "Jackson's one very lucky young man."

The relief had been indescribable and more tears had slipped down his cheeks.

It was three o'clock in the morning before Jackson had started to wake up. He was groggy and disorientated, he seemed to think he was at home, in their bed and was complaining of a thumping headache. He thought he had a hangover and kept saying they must have had one hell of a session for him to end up feeling that rough. He wasn't going to tell him what had really happened, not until he was more himself, not until he was up to hearing the terrible truth.

Jackson had quickly gone back to sleep and he'd insisted Paddy and his mum go home then. With a policeman sitting outside Jackson's room he'd felt able to leave him and he'd taken the lift down to the ground floor with them. The hospital canteen wasn't far from the entrance doors and after seeing them off he'd made his way there.

He wasn't sure if it would be open but it was, well the lights were on but there was no one behind the counter, NHS cutbacks meant there was no staff on duty there at night. Vending machines were in operation though and he got himself some tea, sitting himself down at a corner table.

He didn't like leaving Jackson but he'd needed to get out of that room, away from its clinical atmosphere, the bleeping machines, get briefly away from all reminders of the nightmare situation they found themselves in.

There were other people in the canteen, he'd avoided looking at them, he didn't want to see what he felt certain would be anxious faces, well you didn't visit a hospital in the early hours unless some sort of medical crisis had hit you and yours. He could hear someone crying, and his heart went out to whoever it was, he'd been crying tonight too, when he thought he might lose Jackson.

He sipped on his tea and stared out through one of the rooms internal windows; it overlooked the corridor he'd just walked along to get here. A tired looking doctor had just passed; it didn't look like he'd been to bed at all tonight. Then he'd seen a vaguely familiar face, he couldn't remember where he knew the other man from, but as he'd walked into the canteen he'd remembered. He was one of the two blokes who'd tried to chat him up Friday night. What was he doing here?

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Stalker

Part 9

Baz hadn't seemed to have noticed him and he was hoping he wouldn't. He thought he could make a quick exit whilst the older man was preoccupied with a vending machine. No such luck! He'd been about to get to his feet when Baz, as he'd waited for the hot water to fill the plastic cup, turned to look around him, spotting him almost immediately.

"Aaron?"

He'd looked shocked to see him sitting there, but the surprise had quickly disappeared from his face to be replaced by a smile... too big a smile for his liking. It seemed he still had the hots for him...even at this unearthly hour of the morning! He didn't like it, it made him uncomfortable. Why did he have to be so obvious? Maybe he didn't realise he was.

Picking up his drink he'd walked over to join him, plonking himself down on the chair right next to him. If it had been him he'd have sat opposite, not got that close... which was way too close. Or was it just the fact he knew Baz fancied him that had him so particular all of a sudden?

"What you doing here?"

He wasn't about to tell him what had happened, he didn't want to talk about it and anyway he wasn't even sure if he should be talking about it, not to just anyone. The police had now officially deemed what had happened to Jackson, attempted murder. Maybe it would be best if he was economical with the truth.

"My boyfriend was... he was taken ill..." He'd got the boyfriend bit in quick in case Baz picked up where he'd left off on chatting him up, he wasn't in the right sort of mood to deal with that right now, "...he's on one of the wards?"

"Taken ill?"

Baz was eyeing him curioiously now, like he wanted more details well he wasn't getting any. "Yeah."

"Is he alright?"

The grey eyes had narrowed and were staring intently into his and he'd quickly replied, "Yeah he's fine, he should be home tomorrow."

Baz nodded, and then dropped his gaze, stirring his coffee as he said "Good, I'm glad to hear it."

"Why are you here?" He hadn't really wanted to ask, he was sure the question would tie him up in an endless conversation, but it was the polite thing to do under the circumstances, and these days, for Jackson's sake, he tried hard to conform to everyday niceties.

There had been a pause before Baz had answered him, he for once seemed lost for words but he'd quickly put that down to him being upset, because he'd gone on to tell him his father had been brought in during the night, with a suspected heart attack.

He'd asked how his dad was doing, and getting a positive reply he'd told himself it was time to make a move, and so told Baz he had to get back to the ward. The other man had barely touched his coffee and he'd expected him to sit there til he'd finished it, but as he'd got to his feet so had Baz, telling him he'd walk with him.

He'd talked all the way, what about he didn't know; he'd switched off, his mind elsewhere, with Jackson. They'd parted company by the lifts, to his relief Baz had said he was heading home; he had an early start and needed some shuteye. But as he'd walked towards the entrance doors he'd called over his shoulder to him, "See ya." Not if he saw him first he wouldn't! There was just something about Baz he didn't like.

He hadn't told Jackson about him or about the other bloke, not because he'd be jealous or anything, he wasn't like that, he loved and trusted him. No he'd just forgotten all about them, but now he'd had a reminder he still wasn't going to mention them, Jackson would tease him mercilessly about it if he did, especially about Baz; he had a wicked sense of humour.

A nurse had been with Jackson when he'd got back to his room, she'd been able to tell him he'd not woken up in his absence, he'd been relieved, he hadn't wanted him to wake up and find him not there.

He'd sat beside his bed, gently folded his hand around his, and for the next few hours was content to just sit and stare at him, not tiring of the beauty he saw there.

It was after seven before Jackson had woken up, he still had a pig of a headache but he was clear minded and wanting to know what had happened to him, why he was bandaged up and in hospital. The very last thing he remembered was walking out of Smithy cottage's front door to go to the Woolpack.

He'd tried to break it to him gently, but there was no easy way to say that a bullet had come within half an inch of taking his life. Naturally it had shocked him, really shocked him, what little colour he had in his cheeks had quickly drained away and he'd sat there looking back at him asking over and over again "Why?"

He himself wasn't so interested in why anymore, only in who, who it was that had almost taken the most precious thing in his life away from him. The need to know was starting to eat away at him, the need to hit back growing with each second that passed. He wanted five minutes alone with the bastard responsible before the police took him or what was left of him away.

The shock had worn off fairly quickly, and then had come fear but not for himself, Jackson was suddenly worried for him, for Paddy, for all those he cared about, what if his assailant turned his attention to them? He'd wanted reassurance from the police on that matter when they'd later arrived to interview him. They hadn't been able to give him any, they as yet didn't know the sort of mentality they were dealing with.

He'd sat there with Jackson and listened as the detectives had filled him in on what developments there had been in the case. The white van had been found abandoned, they now knew it had been stolen prior to the incident on the road to Emmerdale, they now viewed that as an earlier attempt on his life. They had traced the phone calls to an unregistered mobile phone, and could tell him they had been made in and around the Hotton area, but who by they didn't know. As for Wayne Dobson, he was safely behind bars after committing some crime or other. Finally, they had found the bullet that had knocked him senseless, lodged in the wall beside the front door, it had been fired from a firearm popular with farmers, and being a farming community, there were plenty of them about.

He'd ended up shaking his head at them, what information they had was little more than useless! They were no nearer catching whoever it was.

The police had left just before Jackson's lunch had arrived and as he'd picked at it he'd made his way down to the canteen, he wasn't all that hungry either but he knew he needed to eat. He'd kept a wary eye out for Baz, thankfully there was no sign of him, he was probably at work, he should be too but no way was he going, he wasn't going to stray very far from Jackson's side, not until the maniac who'd tried to kill him was caught.

As he'd sat eating his sandwiches Paddy had phoned, he'd told him all he knew and as he'd ended the call a shadow had fallen across him.

He knew who it was without looking, Baz!

His patience was beginning to wear a little thin now, Baz knew he was with someone so why couldn't he just leave him alone?

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Stalker

Part 10

Baz had set two cups of tea down on the table, one for each of them. He'd felt compelled then to sit and talk with him a little while, he was getting way too soft. He'd asked how his dad was doing and Baz had asked after Jackson, how he was and when he would be allowed home. He'd gone on then to moan about work, telling him his boss had given him a load of grief that morning, he'd sympathised with him, Cain had been in a bad mood the day before and had snapped at him all day long.

He'd eventually made an excuse about needing to get back to the ward, just like he'd done last time. Anyone else might have seen it for what it was, a desperate attempt to escape their company but not Baz, he was a little slow on the uptake. Thankfully he had remained seated as he had got to his feet. But he had felt the older man's eyes on him as he'd walked away, he hadn't wanted to think about what was going through his head right then. He was still getting used to being eyed up by other men, Jackson always teased him about, said it happened all the time when they were out, but he was almost always oblivious to it, his attention never strayed far from his boyfriend.

The doctor had been talking to Jackson when he'd returned to his room, and he'd not been a happy man. His patient was now wanting to sign himself out! He hadn't been happy at that news either. The doctor hadn't planned on discharging him until the next morning, and as much as he wanted him home he didn't think he should go against doctor's orders.

Jackson had been adamant about discharging himself though and whilst the doctor went to get the appropriate paperwork he'd pressed him as to why. He'd just said he hated hospitals and that he wanted familiar things around him, that he would feel better and probably recover quicker if he was at home. He could understand that, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was more to do with the fact that he would feel a lot safer in his own home, more secure.

Paddy had come for them, and a police car had followed them home, to then park conspicuously outside Smithy cottage. Jackson couldn't believe he had police protection, that he needed it. He was still struggling to get his head around the idea that someone had tried to kill him. He was snappy and irritable, certainly not himself and he didn't know whether to put Jackson's uncharacteristic behaviour down to the pounding headache he still had or the stress and strain he was now under, Paddy thought it was probably a combination of both and that it best they ignore it.

He'd put a DVD on for the two of them to watch, in the unlikely event of it helping take their minds off things. Jackson had, due the concussion's lingering effects, fallen asleep halfway through it. He'd not slept at all the night before and could just as easily have nodded off beside him, but just like the previous night, he'd wanted to just sit and watch him sleep, finding the steady rise and fall of his chest reassuring. He also felt the need to be 'on guard'. He wasn't going to let anything happen to him, he wasn't going to let anyone hurt Jackson ever again.

The police officers working on the case had arrived later that afternoon, and he'd had to wake Jackson up. They had something they wanted to discuss with him; a ploy they believed would help catch whoever had tried to kill him.

They wanted to lure him out into the open, but to do that meant Jackson carrying on as normal. When he was up to it they wanted him to return to work, be out and about, to be seen.

There would still be a police presence, just not an obvious one. Jackson had been all for it, eager to play some active part in catching the nutter who'd shot him, but he and Paddy had been dead against it, believing it would make Jackson a sitting target. The police had said that there was a slight risk involved but that it was a tried and tested method of catching such offenders, that it had been used successfully in similar cases all around the country. Like that was going to set his mind at rest.

The plan was to over the next week or so, if nothing else happened, and they were confident nothing would with them on the scene... to appear to withdraw, to make themselves less and less in evidence, until it seemed they were no longer involved. That should then lull the guilty party into believing he could act again with little fear of being caught.

He'd hated the idea, he'd never liked the police, he certainly didn't have any faith in them after what had happened, but Jackson did and had been keen to put their plan into action.

With their plan given the green light the police had gone on to say they thought it likely that Jackson knew the man responsible, asking yet again if he could think of anyone who could possibly have any bad feeling towards him. They'd got the same answer they'd had previously...no. Then they'd asked something they hadn't before. If Jackson had had any unwanted attention recently, if someone seemed at all obsessive about him? Jackson had laughed at that and said no, jokingly adding he'd never had to fight anyone off as yet.

Why hadn't the penny dropped then? Why hadn't a light gone off in his head at the time? There was someone paying unwanted attention to him! There was someone proving a little obsessive where he was concerned. Baz!

If he'd just connected the two, if he'd given Baz some serious thought, paid more attention to the things he'd said to him then maybe the nightmare could have been ended there and then, but he hadn't and it would be a while before he did!

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Stalker

Part 11

There were only two people he let tell him what to do, that was Paddy and Jackson. He'd put up a fight at first of course, make it clear he was having none of it only to eventually grudgingly back down.

Jackson had wanted him to go back to work, insisted he go back first thing Wednesday morning; he wasn't going though, he wasn't leaving him on his own at home, no way!

But come 8:30 Wednesday morning he found himself traipsing down the hill to the garage. Every now and again he'd look back over his shoulder, at the police car parked outside Smithy Cottage, needing the small amount of reassurance seeing it there gave him.

He was stopped several times, villagers asking how Jackson was, some were more inquisitive than others, or should that be just plain nosy? Well in Betty's case it was, she'd had a string of questions for him, the last one being, "Just what the heck is going on at yours?" She was an old lady, a bit of case and he liked her, everyone did, but sometimes she liked to know more than she had any right to, and in this case more than he or anyone could tell her. He was already on edge and her prying just served to irritate him, more than it should have done he knew. He could easily have given her a polite answer but no, he'd snapped at her and walked off. He'd heard her tut-tut and say "Well!" She'd no doubt complain to Paddy about his rudeness and then he'd get it in the neck from him. Right now though he didn't give a shit.

Cain wasn't in any better a mood than he'd been in on Monday, worse in fact, but he wasn't directing any of his ill temper at him, to everyone but it seemed. What had happened to Jackson had got to him. He was taking it personally. Nobody messed with the Dingles or anyone closely connected to them, and Jackson was one of the clan now. Cain had quietly told him he'd put some feelers out, if a certain section of the Dale's population had any clue as to who was targeting Jackson, word would get back to him.

He'd liked that idea, liked the thought of getting wind of who it was long before the police did, of having a chance of reprisal. But Cain had shot him down in flames when he'd mentioned that, no way was he letting him get involved, he was to keep his nose clean! He hadn't even bothered to argue, he knew there was no point, and anyway he didn't really hold out much hope of Cain's contacts being of any real help, something told him they moved in different circles to whoever it was after Jackson.

He'd have moped about all morning given the chance, he was a worrier, he couldn't help it, especially when it came to the people he loved. Cain knew that and had found him plenty of work, kept his hands and his mind busy all morning, then he'd sent him for an early dinner. As hard as he was, his uncle had a seldom seen softer, thoughtful side to him too.

He'd expected, well hoped to find Jackson sprawled out in front of the TV, the doctor had told him to rest but it seemed he had no intention of doing that. He found him sat at the kitchen table catching up with some paper work and making work related phone calls. He'd walked in to hear him promise his latest client to be back on site first thing in the morning. As soon as he'd ended the call he'd challenged him on it. He didn't think he should be going back to work, not just yet, he still had stitches in his head, he was still unsteady on his feet. They'd argued the toss and he'd lost, again. Jackson insisting he was fine, that he needed the money. Yeah he did, but he knew it wasn't really about the money anymore; it was about the police's ploy to catch his attacker.

His dinner break had lasted longer than it should have done and normally Cain would have given him earache over it, but not this time, he just told him what job to start on next.

He'd been back at work about an hour when the phone had rung. Cain had taken the call, then come to find him handing him a piece of paper with a name and set of directions written on it. He didn't want to go out on a breakdown, not one that took him god knows how many miles away from Emmerdale, from Jackson. Cain insisted he be the one to go though, he said he couldn't that he was waiting for a phone call.

After hauling himself up into the breakdown trucks cab he'd phoned Jackson or tried to, his phone had been busy. He told himself he'd try again later, he just wanted to know he was ok.

Half an hour later he was on the back of beyond road the car had broken down on. He knew the area vaguely, somewhere along this stretch of road was the farm he and Paddy had first come across Clyde. It had new owners now, the old farmer had died last year and the place auctioned off.

Clyde. He tried not to think about him too often, it made him miserable, more than miserable, he still felt so much guilt about what had happened to him. He'd done something stupid and Clyde had paid the price. He'd almost lost Jackson because of it too, but then he'd given him another chance...and they'd never looked back.

He could see the car up ahead of him now, he couldn't be sure of its make from that distance but it's open bonnet was a dead giveaway. The slip of paper Cain had given him was on the dashboard, he glanced at it for the owners name, it only gave the surname, Poulter. It sounded familiar for some reason, it was probably one of Cain's regular customers, although he hadn't said it was.

The driver got out of the vehicle as he approached but he was too busy parking the truck safely on the narrow road to take much notice.

It was only when he'd climbed out of the cab and turned to greet the other man that he realised why the name had been familiar. It was Baz... Barry Poulter!

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Stalker

Part 12

He just couldn't believe his luck! It seemed Baz couldn't either, he was grinning at him, obviously pleased to see him and not just because it meant help had arrived.

**"I'm gonna have to breakdown more often if it's you that comes to the rescue!"**

He frowned openly at the comment, the older man had said it in a teasing tone but he didn't find it funny, it just made him uncomfortably. The thing was he wasn't sure what to make of it, of what to make of Baz. He could be so naive at times! Was Baz just a harmless flirt, and there were plenty of them about, men and women, or did he really fancy his chances? He wished he knew for sure, he might know how best to deal with the man then.

Deciding it best to just get on with what he'd come to do he gestured at the car's open bonnet and asked, "What's the problem?"

All Baz could tell him was the car had lost power then slowly died on him, as he leaned over the engine to look for all the obvious causes, Baz moved to stand alongside of him, again way too close for his liking. It made him really nervous, why though? It wasn't like Baz would dare try and get touchy feely with him... would he? He'd hit the deck quicker than the speed of light if he did. God he was being ridiculous now! It was time to rein in his imagination and get to work.

He'd eventually found the problem, at least he thought he had, it had proved a bit of a mystery, he knew he couldn't fix it on the roadside, he was going to have to haul the car back to Emmerdale, He'd told Baz he could either drop him off somewhere and he could pick the car up tomorrow or he could accompany him to the garage and drive the car away later that afternoon. Baz had opted for the latter much to his dismay. Not only was he going to have Baz's company all the way back to the village but probably for however long it took him to fix the car.

Baz had of course done most of the talking on the journey. It hadn't been too bad though, not as bad as he'd expected to be. He could be quite funny, well he'd managed to make him laugh anyway and considering his mood the last few days that was quite an achievement. By the time they were rounding the corner into the village he'd actually started to relax in the older man's company, and had decided he was alright really... in small doses!

**"What's going on there?"**

Baz had seen the police car parked outside the Smithy, it wasn't something you could miss. He shrugged, pretending he didn't know, he still didn't think it was something he should share with a relative stranger.

Cain had been waiting for him to return, the call he'd been expecting had like he'd been hoping, turned up trumps. He had first choice of bankrupt stock, and he was wanting to go to look at the cars there and then. His uncle had told him he wouldn't be back until late, and that he was to lock up when he'd finished. No problem there, he'd make sure he finished early and get back to Jackson.

With Cain gone it left just him and Baz, the other man just standing there watching him work. He hated having an audience, it didn't matter who it was. Then he'd had an idea, it had taken him long enough! "There's a cafe up the road, hot drinks, snacks, you could wait there if you want, I'll come tell you when it's ready." Baz hadn't needed any persuading and as he'd watched him make his way up the hill, he thought he'd got rid of him for an hour or so, but before he knew it, he was back, a take away mug of tea in each hand, smiling at him as he said...

**"Three sugars, just how you like it!,**

He'd eyed him questioningly, how'd he know how many sugar's he took.

**"I told the woman behind the counter it was for you, she heaped the sugar in!"**

"Thanks." He reached for the cup, now resigned to Baz's company. Leaning against the car he stared off across the road, at nothing in particular, he was just trying to avoid making eye contact with the other man. He was looking at him again, and for once he was quiet but when he did speak he took him completely by surprise.

**"Why didn't you tell me about Jackson?"**

"What?" His eyes were locked on the other man now.

**"I wasn't just told how sweet you like your tea. Aaron I know why the police are parked outside your door."**

Brenda! Why was she discussing what had happened with strangers? She was gossiping that's why, she was good at that, all she was good at. He'd more or less lied to Baz at the hospital and he was aware of that now, that made him feel guilty and want to explain, "It's not something you can just drop into everyday conversation is it?"

**"No, I suppose not, but it's got to be something you need to talk about? If you do, if you need a friendly ear... well I'm a good listener."**

He could see understanding in the grey eyes, hear it in the older man's voice, not something he'd expected from him but then he'd not really given him a chance had he. He'd not taken him seriously as a person. He hadn't wanted or liked the interest he'd shown in him, it had meant only one thing and he already had that with Jackson.

Jackson had a lot of gay friends but he didn't have any, he hadn't made any attempt to make any, maybe he should. Knowing about Jackson maybe all Baz wanted from him was friendship?

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Stalker

Part 13

He hadn't told Baz any more than he already knew, that because someone had twice tried to kill Jackson he now had police protection. The police had told them not to mention their intended ploy to anyone, not even to those closest to them, those they believed they could trust, and he hadn't, and wouldn't, not with Jackson's life depending on it.

**Baz had stood there shaking his head, obviously struggling to get his head around events, well such drama was something you only ever expected to see on TV. He'd then asked, "And they've got no idea who's responsible?"**

"No, they haven't got a clue." He'd spat that out derisively, he'd never had any respect for the police and there was no chance of them ever earning it the way they were going. Openly admitting the worrying fact to Baz had left him feeling helpless and a terrible sense of dread had quickly engulfed him. Up until then he'd been doing a good job of holding it all together, keeping his emotions in check, putting on a brave face as Paddy would say. Jackson knew he was worried, just not how much, and he didn't want him to know just how terrified he was of something else happening to him, of losing him. He'd come so close, and Jackson's brush with death had brought home to him just how fragile life was, just how easily it could be snuffed out, just like a candle, one minute burning bright the next extinguished in the blink of an eye.

He could feel his composure slipping away, and quickly bowed his head in an attempt to hide any visible sign of his internal struggle. But it seemed he'd failed miserably.

"**Aaron?"**

"Sorry," He was battling hard for control, hating himself for being so weak, for letting Baz be witness to it, and suddenly he felt the overwhelming need to explain, "It's just...it's just so hard..." He knew he sounded pathetic, but right then he really didn't care. He could talk to Paddy about Jackson, he knew how he felt about him, but the last few days had seen them being strong for each other and more importantly for Jackson, he could talk to his mum too but he hadn't wanted her worrying more than she already was. He found it impossible to talk to anyone else, especially to other men, straight men. So he'd been bottling it all up inside and now it was bubbling just below the surface.

But Baz wasn't straight, he was gay like him, he'd understand and realising that it had all suddenly come flooding out, how much he loved Jackson, how scared he was of losing him.

Baz had gripped him by the shoulders, had somehow managed to say all the right things, had chased away all the black thoughts that had invaded his head and got him thinking positive again. He'd realised then just how badly he'd needed to unload and how much he'd needed someone like Baz to talk to.

He'd eventually got back to work on Baz's car, fixing the initial problem but finding a few other things that needed sorting out in the process. The car was also badly in need of a service and he'd told Baz, telling him he should book it in with them and have all the work done as soon as or he'd eventually find himself stuck on the side of the road again. The older man had readily agreed, saying he'd been aware that the car hadn't been running right for some time. He'd checked the work book and with not much on the following Friday had pencilled in Baz's name.

He hadn't been able to give Baz an ironclad guarantee that his car wouldn't breakdown in the meantime although he didn't think it was likely, still the older man had been worried about it happening again, what with work and his dad being ill, and that's when he'd unwittingly made one of the biggest mistakes of his life... _he'd only realise that though when it was too late_... he gave Baz his mobile phone number, just in case the car let him down out of work hours.

When Baz had gone, he quickly finished off all the remaining work, there hadn't been all that much, and after locking up he was soon making his way home a little earlier than usual.

He could see there was another car parked outside the Smithy, he'd seen it before, and although there were no outwardly signs of it being the police he knew it was. He'd quickened his pace, eager to know if they'd at last found something out, if they were any nearer to finding out who had it in for Jackson.

It hadn't been good news, the opposite in fact. Jackson had earlier received another anonymous text and following police instructions had informed them about it. He'd planned on telling him about it when he got home from work, he hadn't wanted him worrying a second longer than he had to.

He'd demanded to see it and had felt physically sick on reading it, it consisted of just three words. On the face of it they seemed innocent enough ... **Third time lucky**... It could be referring to just about anything but he knew it wasn't, that it was another death threat!

Jackson seemed to be taking it all in his stride, was soon discussing his plans to return to work the next day with the officers. They had no concerns, were confident their obvious presence would keep his assailant at bay.

He'd not slept much that night, Jackson on the other hand had slept like a baby in his arms, he was relieved that the older man had escaped the worry of the situation for all those hours, he though just couldn't switch off and had lain there wishing over and over again that it was all just a nightmare, one he'd wake up from soon. He didn't know it, was blissfully unaware right then that the nightmare was only just beginning!

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Stalker

Part 14

He'd just made another time wasting mistake, the umpteenth of the morning; luckily Cain wasn't there to notice. He just couldn't concentrate; Jackson was all he could think about, and it didn't help that he was tired. He'd not had a good night's sleep since Jackson's van had been daubed with blood, and it was really catching up with him now.

He was usually awake before the alarm clock, but not this morning, it had woken him not all that long after he'd finally gone to sleep. A shower hadn't made him feel any better, hadn't made him any more with it.

After readying himself for work he'd made his way down stairs, a bright eyed, well rested Jackson having just stepped out of the shower. He'd joined Paddy by the breakfast table, the older man as bleary eyed as he was. He'd probably tossed and turned all night. He knew Paddy had lost a lot of sleep over him since taking him in but he never thought he'd have cause to lose any over Jackson.

Paddy wasn't just concerned about Jackson though, he was worried about him too, he knew he wasn't sleeping or eating properly. Normally he'd react to his friends fussing by snapping back at him, but not today, today he'd quietly turned it back on him, told him to go look in the mirror and see how tired he looked, and had asked him why his bowl of cornflakes sat on the table barely touched. They'd talked then, about Jackson, about him going back to work, about the threat hanging over him. When he'd told him Jackson had slept all night, and was eager to get out there and be seen, Paddy had shaken his head. He'd always thought of Jackson as unflappable and admired that quality in him, but in this case he found his calmer than calm air unnerving. Jackson had escaped death twice, once by the skin of his teeth, and Paddy wondered if he somehow now thought himself invincible. Jackson had walked into the room then and having heard them, made it plain to them both that he was just determined not to let events get to him.

Well he didn't have that sort of self-control. It was now eleven o'clock and he'd already rung him half a dozen times to check up on him. Jackson had told him off the last time he'd called him, nicely told him off, reassured him he was fine and said he'd never get any work done if he had to keep stopping to answer his phone.

As he signed off a job in the work book he noticed Baz's name on the next page, he remembered then how he'd opened up to him the day before. He wasn't feeling very comfortable with that now, it wasn't like him. How long had it been before he'd opened up to Paddy to Jackson? He told himself Baz just happened to be in the right place at the right time, that tiredness and worry had helped loosen his tongue, and that it wouldn't happen again.

Cain had put in an appearance not long after midday, had sent him for his dinner, told him to be back on time because he had business to attend to. He made his way home, stopping at the cafe to buy a sandwich, Brenda had asked after Jackson and he'd snapped at her, made it clear he didn't like her discussing what had happened to Jackson with strangers, she'd had the nerve to deny it, but he knew she'd been the one to tell Baz.

He'd hoped Paddy would be home but he was out on his calls. He'd almost rang Jackson again as he'd sat alone by the kitchen table, but had somehow managed to stop himself. He looked at the kitchen clock, it was just gone one, another five hours and he'd home, safe.

Cain had handed him a piece of paper as soon as he'd got back to the garage, another breakdown, in another godforsaken place. The older man had an appointment elsewhere so had handed him the spare keys telling him he'd secure the garage before he left.

It was another warm and sunny spring day and he quite liked cruising along all the winding back roads, it had a soothing effect on him, even though he'd driven up and down this particular stretch of road twice now. There was no sign of any breakdown, either the caller had got the location wrong and in a rural place like this it wouldn't be the first time or he'd managed to get the car started himself and then driven off, saving himself the expense of a call out, that had happened to him before now too. He'd have been pissed off normally but he had other more important things playing on his mind.

Deciding he'd wasted enough time he made for Emmerdale. Five minutes later his phone had rung, he pulled over expecting it to be Jackson but found it was a number he didn't recognise. His first thought then was that something had happened to Jackson, that someone was ringing to let him now and he was filled with relief on hearing Baz's voice.

The older man was having problems with his car again, it refused to start and he really needed to get to the hospital as his dad wasn't very well.

He'd asked where he was and had been told he was at work, as luck would have it only fifteen or so minutes away, not far from where he'd broken down last time.

Baz had given him directions, told him to look out for the sign for Beck Farm, it sounded familiar but it wasn't until he reached it that he knew why.

He'd been here once before, a couple of years back. Paddy had promised him some cash if he helped him out on his rounds, he knew it would be easy money so he'd tagged along. An Alsatian had been tied up, restrained by an iron chain. He'd been barking wildly and at first seemed really ferocious. Paddy had been wary of him, more than wary...scared! But he'd realised the dog wasn't what he seemed, that he was really a big softie. He'd played a trick on Paddy then, let him think the dog had got loose, the rest as the saying went ...was history.

As he manouvered the truck down the narrow lane towards the farmyard, he let his gaze sweep around the fields either side of him, there were cattle to his right, pigs to his left, big ugly looking things they were too!

The place seemed otherwise deserted, no sign of any two legged creatures but Baz had to be around here somewhere. He'd park up and go look for him.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Stalker

Part 15

It felt good to be back at work, to have some kind of normality back in his life. The last few days had been surreal, being shot at, actually being shot, well that happened all the time on the TV, in the murder mysteries Pearl was obsessed with, and on the news! It happened to other people in far off places... it didn't happen to people like him, only it had!

Looking out through the window of the room he was now working in, he could see through the thin film of grime covering it, the police car parked outside. His shadow, wherever he went so did they, they must be bored out of their minds sitting out there for hours on end. One of them would pop in every now and again, check up on him, chat a while, use the loo. Then he'd find himself alone again, able to get on with some work. It was coming too, slowly but surely as his mum would say. His mum! Every now and again his thoughts would stray to her. Thankfully Aaron hadn't known how to get hold of her, else she'd have been on the first plane home, he could just imagine the fuss she would make, how protective she would be. He wouldn't need police protection with his mother around! He smiled to himself as he imagined her on guard duty; nothing would get past her to him. He didn't want her knowing, he didn't want her fussing, he didn't want to put her through the sort of hell Aaron and Paddy too for that matter, were going through right now. He'd decided he wouldn't tell her anything about it not even when it was all over, and it would be over soon wouldn't it? He just wanted to get on with his life, the life he now shared with Aaron.

/

He switched the engine off, craned his neck around to look out through the cab windows hoping to catch sight of Baz, but no. He let out a few blasts of the horn, it was loud so wherever he was he should hear it. He couldn't see his car but the property covered a great many acres it could be anywhere.

Snatching up his phone he threw open the cab door and stepped down onto the ground, making for where he thought the farmhouse was. He'd not got that far when he'd been here with Paddy.

The place had had a tidy up since he'd been here; it looked like money had been spent on it too. Come to think of it, Baz had mentioned something about his boss having plenty of money to invest in the place, money but not time! He'd called him a Sunday farmer, had scathingly said the place was just a hobby where he was concerned not how he earned his living.

There were countless outbuildings, barns, sheds, some looked new and a good few of them were piled high with sacks of feed and bales of hay. There were pens too, all empty but it was easy to imagine livestock in them.

Rounding the side of a barn he caught sight of the farmhouse. It looked rundown compared to the rest of the place, was definitely in need of some work, of some restoration, a lick of paint at least; maybe he could put in a good word for Jackson.

"BAZ?" His voice echoed around him. Where the hell was he? He hadn't got the car started and bogged off had he? No he'd have let him know if he had.

He could see that the front door of the farmhouse was slightly open; Baz had to be in there. He rapped loudly on the door and then went inside, finding himself in a narrow hallway, several doors leading off it

"Baz?" He called out the name only to again get no answer. He could hear something though, music, there was a radio on somewhere. Maybe Baz couldn't hear him above the noise? He'd just reached the end of the hallway, was about to step into the room the music was coming from when he heard a door shut behind him, he swung around and standing just this side of the front door was Baz.

He opened his mouth to speak but there was something about the way the older man was looking at him that had him swallow his words. In the same instant he realised Baz was holding something in his hands... a shotgun...no it wasn't a shotgun it was something smaller, a rifle? He didn't know anything about guns but he knew John Barton had one just like it; he used it to kill vermin... like a lot of farmers around here did.

Suddenly his blood ran cold. The bullet that had so nearly killed Jackson had come from a gun like that. His mind was working overtime now...pig's blood had been used on Jackson's van and there were pigs in the field out there! Baz? No it couldn't be! It was just a coincidence, and anyway he didn't know Jackson... no but he knew him...had shown a lot of interest in him!

The truth had finally dawned on him; finally he saw what had been staring him in the face all along, "It's you! You're the one after Jackson!"

/

Why was Aaron's number suddenly unavailable, he hadn't switched it off had he? He wasn't sulking because he'd complained about him phoning him constantly? No, he wouldn't do anything so childish. Maybe a poor signal was to blame, although it was normally strong in and around Emmerdale, but then maybe he wasn't in Emmerdale? Maybe he was on his way here? He wouldn't put it past him to come and check on him in person. The thought put a smile on his face, Aaron loved him, truly loved him. There was a time he doubted he'd ever feel that way about him, especially after witnessing his reaction to his own declaration of love. He cringed at the memory; well he'd made such a pigs ear of saying something that was so personal, and so very important to a relationship... he'd inadvertently blurted it out in the middle of a heated exchange, taking them both by surprise. Things were bad between them at the time and for a while after they got a lot worse. He'd moved out, Aaron's need for revenge something he couldn't understand or condone and would no way put up with. But like every time before they were drawn back together and a night out with Paddy and Marlon had seen them decide to give 'them' another go.

That seemed such a long time ago now, so much had happened in the months since, there was one moment in particular that stood out and that was when Aaron had told him he loved him. He sighed contentedly, looking forward to going home; knowing Aaron would be there waiting for him.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Stalker

Part 16

He'd been all set to knock off work when his phone had rung. He was more than a little wary of answering it these days and had eyed the number cautiously, a little irritated to see it was the owner of the property he was working on.

His client wasn't local, visited the property once a fortnight to check on his progress, but he rang regularly for an update on how things were going. He was a nice enough bloke, friendly and had shown him nothing but respect but... he could talk for England, and he knew he'd keep him on the phone for ages and right now all he wanted to do was go home. There'd been no avoiding it though and he'd spent the next half hour trying to get a word in edgeways.

As he'd made his way to his van he'd stopped to talk briefly to the police officers, telling them where he was going, which route he was taking, just like he'd been asked to do. He'd got in the van then and made for home. When he'd got to the stretch of road where someone had tried to run him off it, he'd shivered just like he had that morning going the other way. The police had marked the road, which served to unnerve him even more for some reason, maybe because it gave it the status of a crime scene. The area around Smithy cottage's front door was marked too, the hole the bullet had made in the wall ringed in yellow, it was an indelible reminder of what had happened and even though he tried not to look at it he found his eyes drawn to it as he passed.

He'd found no one at home, the house empty. He guessed Paddy was still out on his calls, no surprise there, but he'd expected Aaron to be home by now. He tried ringing the younger man's phone again, and again found his number unavailable. He rang the garage next, they normally shut up shop by now but it wouldn't be the first time Aaron had worked late. Cain had answered, telling him that he'd just got back from Hotton, that the recovery truck was missing so Aaron had to be on another call out. He'd felt a lot better hearing that, signal reception was poor in a lot of places around here, it would explain the fact he couldn't get a hold of Aaron.

Deciding he'd take a shower and then make a start on their evening meal he made his way upstairs. He'd stood under the hot jets of water for a lot longer than he usually did, he was just so tense, his shoulder muscles aching miserable, so to those of his back. He'd have to get Aaron to give him one of his special massages! That thought had him grinning to himself and hoping Aaron would walk in through the door sometime soon so he could join him amidst the steam.

Not wanting to turn into a prune he'd eventually stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel and made his way to his and Aaron's bedroom. He went straight to the window, he couldn't really see the garage from there but he thought he might just catch sight of the truck passing by. The only vehicle he could see was the police car, one of the officer walking around it, streching his legs. Pulling on something clean he then picked up his work clothes, they were in dire need of a wash.

Washing machine on, pasta bake in the oven he again tried ringing Aaron. He couldn't still be in some hollow or behind some hill could he? It seemed he could, his number was still unavailable.

Five minutes after sitting himself down at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, Paddy had walked in to the room. The older man was obviously pleased and relieved to see him, and after asking how he was, how his day had gone, he asked after Aaron, wanting to know where he was. He'd like the answer to that question too! After telling him what he knew that he was on a call out Paddy had told him he'd heard there had been an accident somewhere, and suggested he could be at that, it usually took longer to collect a car that had been involved in a smash.

That had eased his mind a little, he wouldn't worry normally but he had a feeling that something was wrong, it had to be because he was on edge after everything that had happened.

Half an hour later there was still no sign of Aaron, so a starting to get anxious Paddy had rung Cain. He'd stuck his head out of his front door and informed Paddy the recovery truck was still missing, but he'd check the work book and see what it said about the call. He'd rung back five minutes later to say there was nothing recorded after his note about an earlier call, but it wouldn't be the first time Aaron had forgotten to write a message down. Paddy had asked him if a call out normally took so long, not knowing when Aaron had left Cain said he had no idea how long he'd been gone but it could take hours depending where the call had come from, if local people broke down away somewhere they'd often call them, it usually worked out cheaper. Cain hadn't seemed concerned, not that they found that reassuring in anyway.

They sat down by the table again, were discussing if they should inform the police or not when his phone had bleeped, alerting him to a message, it was another anonymous text, he opened it scared of what it would contain, horrified by what he read...

**I've got something you want but don't go telling anyone**

"No!"

"Jackson what is it? Is it Aaron? He's alright isn't he?" Paddy was demanding he answer him but all he could do was stare at the message, reading it over and over again, only when Paddy snatched the phone from his hand to read the message for himself did his mouth start to work, putting his thoughts into words, stating the unthinkable...

"He's got him Paddy! He's got Aaron!"

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Stalker

Part 17

There was this strange pain inside of him, an unbearable ache in his chest, making it hard to breath, hard to think, to concentrate. He was trying to picture Aaron's face in his mind's eye, trying to imagine him smiling, to imagine him safe but he couldn't because he knew he wasn't, that some sick, twisted nut job had him!

He was unable to move, was paralysed by fear and only when Paddy suddenly lurched to his feet making for the front door did feeling return, he leapt up barring the older man's way demanding "Where you going?"

"**To tell the police!  
><strong>  
>"No! He said not to tell anyone."<p>

"**We have to tell them."**

"No!" What the hell was Paddy thinking? "He could be out there somewhere watching us! If he sees you go out there now he'll know, he'll know you've told them. He might hurt Aaron, he might..." He couldn't say it, he couldn't get the ugly word past his lips, but he didn't need to. All the colour had just drained from Paddy's face, the older man knew only too well what the bastard was capable of, he'd threatened his life and he had almost succeeding in taking it. The text message was another veiled threat, one they didn't dare ignore. "We can't tell them Paddy, not even over the phone, we can't risk him finding out."

He could see fear in the older man's eyes now, dread, he was scared for Aaron, and terrified he'd lose him.

"**What do I do? I...I don't know what to do!"**

The desperation in Paddy's voice tore at his heart, he wanted to reassure him, tell him it would be alright, that Aaron would be alright, and that he would come home safe to them. He wanted someone to tell him the exact same thing but it wasn't going to happen. The nightmare was all too real and it seemed they were never going to escape it. So what were they supposed do? What could they do?

/

**There wasn't even the faintest sliver of light, no hint of day, it was like someone had painted everything black. He didn't know where he was now, was he still in the farmhouse or in one of the outbuildings? **

**He couldn't see a thing so he was having to rely on his other senses. There was a distinctive smell, not a farmyard odour more a damp...dirty dank smell than anything. That made him think he was still inside the house. His hands were tied together but he'd managed to feel the area beneath him, it was hard and unbelievably cold, it was a little uneven too and he imagined it to be concrete.**

**His feet were tied together, but he'd earlier managed to clamber upright, reaching out into the nothingness, tentatively shuffling along and when he'd got a bit more confident hopping forward into the unknown. He'd made painful contact with a wall, fingering it as best he could and because he could make out individual shapes he decided it was made of stone. Was he in a cellar? **

**He'd slowly worked his way around the walls, counting four corners to then estimate the room he was in to be a fair size. He didn't think there were any windows not unless they were at a much higher level than he could reach and were blacked out in some way. He'd found only one door, no handle but it had what felt like a lock. He'd done his best to shoulder it open, but with his feet tied he couldn't get much of a momentum going. Then he'd had the idea to kick it open, and had lain on his back on the floor, raised his legs, bents his knees and put as much force as he could into delivering a blow. He might as well have just blown on it for all the good it did. **

**After several futile attempts he hauled himself into a sitting position, resting his back against the wall. He could feel something trickling down his face, and tried to wipe the wetness away with his sleeve, he was bleeding again.**

**He closed his eyes, oddly that offered a more comforting darkness, one he knew, one he understood, one he had no reason to fear. He took a steady breath, determined to rein in his panicked thoughts.**

**He'd been so busy trying to find a way out of here he'd not really given any thought to why he was there. He was now though and cursing himself out loud for his stupidity. Maybe if he'd handled things better with Baz he'd have some answers by now.**

**He'd messed up again. Realising it was Baz who had tried to kill Jackson he'd seen red, had lunged at him and the next thing he knew he was coming around on this floor, aware of a throbbing inside his head and a soreness on the outside. Baz had hit him with something, had probably used the gun he was holding, and he'd hit him hard enough to knock him out. **

**If he'd kept calm, maybe tried to reason with him... but no, he'd wanted to pound him into the wall, bust his face, break every bone in his body, hurt him for hurting Jackson, for so nearly taking him from him.**

**Baz could have shot him, why hadn't he? He'd shot Jackson. Why? Even though he now knew who it was he was still no wiser as to why. It was all down to him though, it had to be.**

**This had all started after he'd met him in Bar West. The very same night. Had he said something? Done something? He'd known he was interested him, he'd made it obvious, obvious to the point it made him uncomfortable, but he hadn't encouraged him, not in any way. **

**It couldn't be because he liked him, fancied him, it couldn't be! He was no prize catch, no one to lose your head over, not like that. It had to be something else. **

**And why hadn't it clicked, why hadn't he suspected him? He kept turning up, the hospital, the breakdown... he'd just realised something else! Brenda hadn't told him about Jackson! He was the one responsible so he already knew. He was playing him and he'd fallen for it. He didn't want to believe this was all because of him but the more he thought about the more certain he was.**

**He had to get out of here! Reaching forward he tried again to loosen the rope tied around his ankles. He must have spent half an hour working on it earlier but he'd got nowhere, maybe this time he would, he had to keep trying. **

**Footsteps! He'd just heard footsteps above him. Was it Baz or was someone else up there. Of course it was Baz! He listened intently, it sounded like he was making his way down some stairs, and he was getting closer. He heard a key turn in the lock, what should he do, try talking to him or try to get away? **

**TBC**


	18. Chapter 18

Stalker

Part 18

As Paddy had slumped back down into his chair he'd started pacing the floor. He felt a terrible restlessness, the urge to keep moving, his heart was racing, his stomach churning, his mind tortured by the knowledge that Aaron was in danger.

He was usually the cool one, the calm one, the one people turned to when trouble hit. Aaron had once said he wished he was just as laid back, but just recently, since all this ugliness had begun he'd been complaining about it, telling him he wasn't taking it seriously enough. Well he was now, now it was too late, now the man he loved, the man he couldn't live without was involved.

He wasn't so calm and collected now was he? He wasn't so in control. He wanted to cry, he wanted to shout to scream, he wanted to hit out at someone at something, Inexplicably hurt someone like he was hurting right now.

The not knowing anything was unbearable, it felt like it was eating away at him inside.

But he did know one thing and that was that this was all his fault. He should have insisted Aaron have police protection too, why hadn't he? Someone was trying to hurt him, and if they couldn't get to him then of course they'd go after the most important thing in his life, Aaron.

His phone was bleeping, he made a grab for it, this time actually hoping it was the freak again, letting him know what he wanted. His heart almost stopped when he saw Aaron's name illuminated...

'Do as he says' that's all it said. He knew instantly Aaron hadn't sent it, he'd never willingly give his captor that kind of power. He was too feisty, too stubborn, too proud...he'd just been struck by a horrifying thought. Aaron wouldn't just let himself be taken, he'd had to have put up a fight, so had he been hurt? Was he still alive?

He felt sick now, could taste bile at the back of his throat.

"Jackson?"

He handed his phone to Paddy, waiting impatienly for his reaction.

"That's not Aaron!"

He could only shake his head, Paddy's confirmation sending wave after wave of nausea through him. "What if he's dead Paddy?" What was he going to do then, how was he going to breathe, how was he going to put one foot in front of the other? He couldn't, he wouldn't want to.

"He's not! I know he's not."

Was Paddy just trying to reassure him or was he speaking from the heart? Maybe he should listen to his own? He was scared for Aaron, terrified for him... but he could sense him out there somewhere. He hadn't lost him yet and he wasn't going to!

/

He'd realised that he wouldn't get very far tied up like he was, it would be stupid to try and escape, he was just going to have to stay in control and try talking to Baz.

The door creaked into life, opening inwards, no wonder he hadn't been able to shift it! What a muppet! He was sitting just to the side of the door, he'd expected light to spill in but what light there was came from a torch, a thin weak beam and it was being shone around the room, obviously trying to locate him. It found him eventually and he had to blink when it fell across his face.

"**Feel better?"**

What sort of a question was that? Like he cared anyway! He wanted to spit back something offensive but he'd bit back on the words, that wouldn't get him anywhere, certainly not out of this hellhole. "Baz, let me go." He wasn't expecting him to do that but it was worth a try and one way of getting some dialogue going.

"**I can't do that. I've got to keep you safe."**

"Safe!" He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "Safe from what?"

"**He doesn't love you, he'll only hurt you."**

"What?" Did he mean Jackson? Of course he meant Jackson! He really was sick in the head.

"**You don't have to worry though, I'm not going to let him."**

"What do you mean?" Just what did the sicko mean by that? Baz was backing away from the door now, he couldn't let him, he needed to know what he meant by that, what he had planned, "Baz wait, don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him.

/

He was sitting down again now, feeling a little more in control, he couldn't lose it like that again. He had to keep a clear head, he had to be strong, Aaron's life depended on it.

There had to be something they could do? There was one thing... "I'll ask for some proof Aaron's ok. Maybe then he'll tell me what he wants me to do." With Paddy nodding encouragement he quickly tapped out a message and sent it to Aaron's phone.

/

He was beginning to get somewhere with the rope around his ankles, he'd found a knot and had worked it free, now he was working on another, the rope around his wrists was so tight it was biting into his flesh as he struggled, every movement made it cut a little deeper. Maybe Baz would loosen them a bit if he saw he was bleeding... and that would be his chance... he'd wait until he was close enough and then he'd drop him, hit him so hard he wouldn't get up again!

It seemed like forever before the rope finally gave way, he flopped back against the wall, willing the older man to put in an appearance. It had to be an hour or more before he did. Again he heard him coming down the stairs, his footsteps almost drowned out by the thundering of his heart in his chest. As soon as the door opened he held out his hands and began pleading for the rope to be loosened. Baz was stepping closer, shining his torch on his hands, they were a raw and bloody mess, one it seemed Baz couldn't ignore. He knew he had to time this right... then suddenly the time had come and he kicked out violently with his right leg, his foot making contact with Baz's face. The older man went down like a lead balloon. He was on his feet and through the door in a heartbeat, stumbling up the stairs and crashing through the door at the top of them.

He found himself in a kitchen and started rummaging through drawers, quickly finding a knife, he could barely hold it but he was somehow sawing through the rope around his hands. Suddenly he realised Baz was standing in the doorway watching him, blood dripping from his broken nose.

"**What're you doing?"**

"What does it look like you sick bastard!"

"**Don't call me that, not you."**

There was something pitiful in the older man's voice, it held him there for longer than it should have done but then he was turning around, making for the hallway and the front door, he caught hold of the handle, tried to twist it, to open it only to find it locked!

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Stalker

Part 19

As he and Paddy had sat at the table anxiously waiting for an answer to his text, he'd realised they had to discuss some practicalities. The police wouldn't have noticed anything was wrong, that Aaron was missing, they knew he was usually home before he was and would have taken it for granted he was already at Smithy cottage when he and they had arrived. That gave them plenty of leeway where they were concerned, for now it did anyway. But what about Cain? What were they going to do about him? Apart from the fact they were scared of endangering Aaron's life by telling anyone, they knew Cain was just as hot headed as Aaron was, worse in fact. God knows what he'd do if he knew his nephew was in danger. His ears must have been burning because just as they were discussing him the house phone had rung, and it was him, wanting to know if they'd heard anything from Aaron. He was off out back to Hotton and didn't want to go until he knew what was happening with his nephew. He'd had to lie to him, try to buy themselves some time, and had told him Aaron had just texted him, saying he should be home within an hour. Cain had of course believed him, god help him when he found out the truth.

/

He knew Baz had followed him into the hallway, and so looked back over his shoulder to see just where he was, what he was doing. The bottom fell out of his stomach on seeing him, he was standing at the far end of the hallway, looking at him, the rifle again in his hand! He hadn't been holding it when he was in the cellar, so it had to have been in the kitchen, why hadn't he seen it? He could maybe have put a stop to this madness if he had!

He yanked frantically on the door handle again, willing brute force to somehow magic it open but as he did so he lost his already tentative grip on the knife, it fell from his fingers bouncing and clattering along the stone floor, coming to a stop a few feet away from him. He needed that knife, he hadn't managed to cut all the way through the rope yet, his hands were still tied and would only hinder his escape, just like they were now.

"**I'm not letting you leave me Aaron."**

The words had got his full attention, the knife now forgotten. He eyed the older man incredulously and spat "Leave you! I'm not with you, I'm with Jackson."

"**I told you he'll hurt you!"**

Baz sounded and looked angry now, he knew he needed to be more careful about what he said, winding him up wasn't going to help any.

"You've got to let me go. They'll know I'm missing by now. The police will be looking for me."  
>He didn't have a clue what time it was but it had to be after six, Jackson and Paddy would be home by now. Cain would be wondering where the hell he was too.<p>

"**No."**

He was just about to try some more reasoning when a ringtone sounded. It sounded suspiciously like the one on his phone. He watched Baz reach into his jacket pocket with his free hand and pull out a mobile phone, his mobile phone! At least he knew where it was now.

"**I've told him I've got you. That you're with me now."**

Baz was grinning at him now in some sort of self satisfied way. "What?" Jackson would be going out of his mind, Paddy too if he knew. Just what kind of sick game was Baz playing?"

"**He doesn't believe me, he wants proof."**

He was frantically trying to think of something that would register with Jackson, something to let him know that he was alright. There were all sorts of personal things, but he needed something more than that, "Tell him Clyde. He's a dog we used to have." It was also a clue albeit a vague one to where he was. Jackson knew how they'd come by Clyde, he wasn't sure if he knew where this farm was but Paddy did, it just had to click with them and then they could tell the police. They'd find the recovery truck right outside! He watched Baz start to tap out a text, blasting himself then for just standing there doing nothing. He wasn't going to just sit around waiting for the police to turn up, not with this head case breathing down his neck!

He turned around and quickly made his way in through the nearest door, apart from some cardboard boxes it was empty, but it did have a window on the far side of the room. It was an old type, there were no locks on it, so it should have been easy enough to open... only it wasn't! Why wasn't it? As he desperately tried to wrench the thing upwards he realised why he couldn't. It was nailed down! He was going to have to smash the glass but what with? He'd have to use his hands or his leg and chance cutting himself open.

"**Get away from the window."**

He jumped at the sound of the older man's voice. Baz was in the doorway, the gun now pointing directly at him. He wouldn't actually use it on him though would he? He'd knocked him out with it yes, but he supposed he'd hadn't given him any choice the way he'd gone for him. But the way he was talking, the things he was saying, he sounded... well he was beginning to think he was obsessed with him! So he wouldn't shoot him would he?

Like he'd done down in the cellar he kicked out with his leg, making violent impact with the glass, watching it shatter with a mix of relief and satisfaction. Only the feeling of relief didn't last long, he heard what sounded to him like a trigger being pulled, then felt something rip painfully into his flesh.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Stalker

Part 20

His eyes were now locked on Baz, he couldn't believe he'd actually shot him! He couldn't believe he'd been stupid enough to think he wouldn't. He was capable of anything!

The bullet had hit him in his left shoulder, its momentum sending him crashing backwards into the wall. He'd instinctively tried to raise his right hand to the wound, but still bound to the left he'd not been able to, the least movement in that arm caused excruciating pain in his shoulder.

"**I said get away from the window!" **

He did what he was told this time, unashamedly scared for his life.

Baz had moved further into the room, the rifle still trained on him, the older man gesturing with it towards the door, letting him know he wanted him to make his way through it. He stepped towards it, on legs as wobbly as jelly. He wasn't feeling too good, the pain was intensifying with every movement he made, it was beginning to make him feel sick, lightheaded. He wasn't going to faint was he? No he couldn't do that; he really would be at Baz's mercy then.

Once in the hallway he'd had to stop and lean back against the wall, take some deep breaths to ward off the dizziness. Beads of pain induced cold sweat had formed on his face, he wanted to wipe them away but he didn't dare move his arm.

Darkness was threatening to engulf him, he was going to have to sit down before he fell down. He slid down the wall, a lot quicker than he'd have liked, his backside making contact with the stone floor none too gently, sending yet another wave of pain through him. Right now passing out actually sounded like a good idea, just for a few minutes, to escape the agony. The bullet had to be up against bone or something, either that or he was more of a wimp than he'd ever like to admit.

"**Get up."**

"I just need a minute." He'd said that like he intended getting back up on his feet some time soon, he didn't, he didn't think he could. He'd really messed up this time! Walked into some nutcase's trap and then got himself shot. Could things get any worse?

/

**He checked his watch again, it seemed like hours since he'd sent the text, every minute passing agonizingly slowly. He and Paddy were now trying to work out how someone had managed to ensnare Aaron, "He's so wary of people, he doesn't trust easily. It's got to be someone we know, someone he knows?"**

"If it was a call out he wouldn't suspect anything. Not until it was too late."

**"Cain said the call he sent him on was on the old back road to Colton, that was around lunchtime, he's taken it for granted he's been called out after that but what if he wasn't? What if he didn't come back from the first one? I started ringing him around three, his phone's been constantly unavailable since then.**

"They don't get a great many breakdown calls, not with all the big companies doing them. They can go weeks without one, they had one yesterday, Aaron told me, that was on the Colton road too. Two in a matter of days, in the same area?"

**That sounded suspicious but his phone bleeping temporarily stopped him giving it any more thought**. **"Clyde!" He'd almost smiled on reading the text, now that message really had come from Aaron, and that one word had managed to put some colour back in Paddy's cheeks.**

"He loved that dog. Chas said they were as wild as each other, but they weren't wild, just in need of some love."

**Despite everything he found himself smiling at that, Aaron and Clyde had both found that under Paddy's roof.**

"He begged me to let him keep him; Clyde was the first thing he showed any interest in, the first thing he openly cared about. That's when I first realised he wasn't so hard, so tough. He used to tell Pearl off for giving him chocolate biscuits; he said it was bad for him. Then he'd sneak him one when he thought no one was looking."

**He wasn't liking how this conversation was sounding, "Paddy you're talking like he's dead!"**

"No! No I'm just trying to remember him safe I don't want to think about him in some madman's clutches!"

**No neither did he. "I'm sorry." Taking all this out on Paddy wasn't going to help, it certainly wasn't going to help Aaron."**

**"**Jackson! The farm we got Clyde is on the Colton road."

**"That's got to be too much of a coincidence hasn't it?" It had to be. "Paddy I think Aaron's just told us where he is!"**

**/**

The pain had eased a bit and he was starting to feel a bit better. Starting to think a bit more clearly too. The bullet wound was bleeding freely, and he'd heard Paddy talk enough about replacing fluids to know that's exactly what he needed to do. He looked up at Baz, met his gaze, "Can I have some water." The older man eyed him suspiciously, he probably thought he'd try and make another run for it when his back was turned, "Please. I'm not going anywhere like this am I?"

Baz stepped around him, making his way to the kitchen, his back turned to him, suddenly confident he couldn't get away from him. Maybe not right now, but he hadn't given up on the idea yet.

He could see the knife he'd dropped, he didn't think he could get to it before Baz got back... no he was already walking back into the hallway, a glass of water in his hand, the rifle conspicuously missing from the other. He'd left it in the kitchen... if only he could get to that.

The older man was holding the glass out to him now, he tried reaching for it only for pain to again explode in his shoulder, he couldn't stop a groan escaping his lips. It seemed to have earned him some pity from Baz because he crouched down holding the glass to his lips. He drank greedily, suddenly realising just how very thirsty he was. He'd realised something else as he'd been drinking, that Baz was staring at him, and the way he was looking at him made him cringe. He quickly emptied the glass and Baz set it aside, but he didn't move away from him like he'd hoped. He remained where he was continuing to stare at him, his hand then moving to stroke his cheek. He jerked his head away, his skin crawling from the brief physical contact. Jackson was the only man who ever touched him like that, the only man he wanted to touch him like that. Baz hadn't better touch him like that again!

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Stalker

Part 21

**A second ago he'd only thought Aaron was at Beck Farm, now he knew for certain he was. He knew he needed help, and that he needed him. But he wasn't stupid enough to think he could do it all himself, he knew he didn't have a hope in hells chance of rescuing him. It was time to bring in the police. **

/

**His reaction to Baz's touch hadn't gone unnoticed; the older man was shaking his head and glaring at him, the next words out of his mouth unnerving him.**

"You're with me now. You'd best remember that."

**Baz really believed they were in a relationship! What should he do? Keep on denying it or play along?** **He forced himself to maintain eye contact,** **trying to keep his own anger in check. He knew if he was to ever get out of here alive he needed to stop antagonizing him, not give him any reason to get angry with him, keep him calm. He could hear Paddy now, telling him that you caught more fly's with honey than you did with vinegar. He'd said something he shouldn't to someone, he couldn't remember what now, but Paddy had seen fit to lecture him... god his mind was wandering! He couldn't let it, he had to concentrate.**

"**Baz, I need you to help me" He watched the anger, the tension fade from the older man's face. He was looking at him now like some lovestruck teenager, just like he suspected he looked at Jackson at times.**

"I'll do anything for you Aaron, you know that."

**He'd had to acknowledge then that Baz was actually sick, mentally ill, and for all of five seconds he pitied him, but then he remembered what he'd done to Jackson, how close he'd come to killing him, and all he felt then was hate towards him. He couldn't let him see that though, he couldn't let that emotion get the better of him, and so told himself he'd have to be content with watching him be carted away by men in white coats. He wasn't likely to see that moment come though if he didn't do something about the bleeding. "Untie my hands, and get me something to stop the bleeding..." he'd remembered watching Paddy pressing a towel against Jackson's wound, knew a firm pressure would stop the flow of blood "...a towel, anything...please." **

**Baz stared at him for what seemed like forever before leaping up and hurrying back into the kitchen. He immediately started to edge sideways towards the knife, using his feet as leverage, gritting his teeth against the pain, the movement was jarring his arm, it felt like his shoulder was on fire, like flames were licking at the wound.**

**He tried to concentrate on what was going on in the kitchen, he could hear Baz pulling out drawers, opening cupboards, knew he didn't have much time before he came back. He wasn't even going to attempt to pick the knife up, he was going to move just enough so as to have it positioned behind his back, concealed, but within his reach when he needed it. He just hoped Baz had forgotten all about it, reasoning that he couldn't have noticed it now else he'd have picked it up. **

**He'd just managed to get where he wanted to be when Baz appeared, hurrying towards him. Seemingly not noticing that he'd moved as he knelt down beside him. His captor then sliced at the rope around his wrists with a penknife, which he then closed and tucked into his pocket. **

**The first thing he did was bend his left arm and ease it in closer towards his body, it had hurt like hell but at least now he could support it properly.**

**Then, before he was ready, before he could stop him Baz was pressing a towel against his shoulder. He'd been unprepared for the agony it caused, and had clung desperately to consciousness. For a little while he forgotten where he was, what was happening, all he was aware of was pain. Then he'd felt a hand on his cheek, rough and calloused, but gentle... Jackson? **

**No, no he didn't associate Jackson with pain, not with anything bad or negative. he forced his eyes open, looked directly into the eyes of the cause of this nightmare and told himself not to move, that as sick as Baz's touch made him feel he had to somehow endure it.**

**Baz was smiling at him, there was no way he was going to smile back, but he knew he had to somehow keep him in this better frame of mind, "Thanks." He'd liked to have choked on that word especially as it didn't seem to have worked, Baz's smile was now fading.**

"Come on..."

"**What? No..." Baz was trying to get him stand, "No, I can't."**

"I've got to see to the stock, I can't leave you here."

**There was a hardness in Baz's voice again, his mood had changed in an instant, and it pushed home the fact he was mentally unstable. He was gesturing towards kitchen now, he was obviously intending to take him back down to the cellar. He knew if he did go down there that he would die there!**

"**No, I'm alright here. I'm not going to leave you Baz! I'm with you now remember?" He couldn't believe he'd just said that, but then he was going to have to say and do whatever he had to, to stay alive. Survival instincts had kicked in and he'd just turned Baz's words back on him, told him exactly what he wanted to hear, and it had worked, for now at least he believed him**

**He'd smiled at him again, got to his feet, then turned around and walked towards the front door, there pulling out a key from his jeans pocket. He'd expected him to lock the door behind him but he didn't! He'd left the gun in the kitchen too! Now he had a real chance of getting away.**

**But could he get to the kitchen and then back in here to the front door? He didn't know, he could feel himself getting weaker. He had his hand over the wound, pressing as hard as he dared. It had helped, the bleeding had eased off but it hadn't stopped. He knew he could bleed to death if he didn't get help soon. Logic told him help wasn't on its way. No one knew where he was. That he was clutching at straws thinking Jackson and Paddy would work out where he was. All he'd given them was a dead Alsatian's name! What chance was there of that leading the police here?**

**He'd been desperate to die once, couldn't wait to close his eyes and slip into nothingness, that way he wouldn't have to feel or fear or wake up and face a world he felt so alien in ever again. But he didn't want to die now, he didn't want to leave Jackson. He couldn't bear the thought of not seeing him ever again and realised the only way he was going to see him again was if he got on his feet, got the gun and walked out the front door.**

**TBC**


	22. Chapter 22

Stalker

Part 22

Baz had said he was going to check on the stock, so how much time did that give him? Not much knowing his luck! He was certain Baz wouldn't stay away a minute longer than he had to, he might even come back just to check on him.

With the aid of his one good arm he'd got to his knees, picked up the knife then struggled to his feet, sheer determination responsible for getting him there, it certainly wasn't strength, that seemed to have deserted him. Once upright he wasn't sure how long he could stay that way, he felt so dizzy.

He was starting to get scared now, starting to think he wasn't going to make it. And that was making him think about the people he loved, Jackson, Paddy, his mum. Jackson knew he loved him, he was always telling him, more so since they'd had that awful row, since he'd been shot... that had brought them so much closer. But he'd never told Paddy how he felt about him; he'd never thanked him for all he'd done for him either. And he'd never said those three words to his mum. He'd said plenty of nasty things to her, had spat endless spite in her direction, and had angrily called her all the names under the sun. He could remember seeing the resulting hurt in her eyes. She knew though didn't she, that he loved her? He hoped Jackson hadn't told her he was in trouble. Trouble! That should be his middle name. He attracted it like magnets attracted metal. He was always giving them cause to worry about him!

The kitchen had seemed a long way off, yards suddenly stretching out like miles. He couldn't seem to get his feet to move any faster. He didn't have much control over them any more, much like his legs, they were threatening to give way under him at any minute. He was almost there now though, and he was going to have to have a drink when he did, he was unbelievably thirsty.

Moving about was making him bleed more, but it had to be the lesser of two evils didn't it? At least this way he stood a chance.

He'd had to lean on the doorjamb, steadying himself and as he did so, his eyes had scoured the cluttered, untidy room, looking for the gun. Baz had made no attempt to hide it, it was resting against the fridge door. A few more feet and he'd have it in his hands... hand, his left one was all but useless. Could he fire it with one hand? Yeah if he had to! But hopefully he wouldn't have to... he wasn't sure he could use it on another human being... not even on Baz. But then if his life depended on it?

He could hear something now, off in the distance, something you didn't get to hear all that often, a helicopter. The air ambulance probably, on its way to some emergency. He could do with a ride in it himself! Right now though he'd settle for a ride in the breakdown truck. He'd left the keys in it but would they still be there? Chances were Baz had them safely tucked in his pocket.

He was letting his thoughts stray again! What was the matter with him his head was all over the place. He needed to keep his mind on the job in hand, on getting hold of the gun for starters.

/

He'd been given a number to call should he need direct contact with the police officer in charge of the case. DC Peters had listened to him hurriedly explain what had happened, and where they believed Aaron to be. He'd then been told to stay where he was, that an officer was on his way over.

It had been an anxious wait, he and Paddy overwhelmed with worry, with the need to be actively doing something. He'd paced the floor, silently praying to a God he'd never believed in before, desperation now having him believe in anything that offered him some hope.

A plain clothed policeman had walked in through the door fifteen minutes later, and he already had some news for them. The police helicopter, the eye in the sky, had been sent up immediately they'd received his call. It had made as discreet as was possible sweep of the area and had confirmed the presence of a breakdown truck at Beck Farm. One of his colleagues had managed to trace the farms owner, had spoken to him, and had been told his farm manager; a Barry Poulter was staying at the property, that he was the sole occupant. He'd been asked if he knew him, they were still looking for a connection, a reason as to why he was targeting them. But the name had meant nothing to him... but it was a name he would now never for as long as he lived, forget.

He'd been a little surprised at how quickly the police had acted, but then after what had happened to him they obviously knew they couldn't waste any time in getting help to Aaron.

Just before he'd left, the officer had informed him and Paddy that police were now on scene and that they there were awaiting an armed police unit to arrive. He wouldn't tell them what they were going to do, how they were planning on freeing Aaron. Finally he had insisted that they stay where they were, telling them that a family liaison officer would be with them shortly, and that he would keep them informed of any developments. He though wasn't having that and neither was Paddy. The two of them were in the older man's car, and heading in the direction of Beck farm before the two officers still on watch outside had had chance to stop them.

/

He'd pulled open the front door and felt a cool breeze on his face, it had helped clear his mind a little.

He was having to lean against the doorjam again, needing to rest before he stepped outside.

Maybe if he'd not done that... maybe if he'd not stopped to down a glass of water while in the kitchen... or to place a towel inside his work overalls over the wound... maybe if he'd not wasted all that precious time he would have reached the barn opposite before Baz had stepped into view!

His stomach turned over on seeing him. Had all that effort been for nothing?

The older man was now walking towards him.

"Stay there! I'll shoot you if I have to!" Despite the warning Baz kept on walking, he looked strangely calm. If only he was, he was shaking, his trembling fingers hindering his battle to ready the rifle. But it was amazing what you could do when you were desperate.

With the rifle now precariously pointed in Baz's direction he called out another warning, and when that went unheeded he pulled on the trigger ... only nothing happened!

How stupid was he? He hadn't thought to check that the gun was loaded!

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Stalker

Part 23

The police had blocked the road a certain distance either side of Beck Farm. They were turning what little traffic there was back. They'd recognised one of the policemen, and he'd recognised them, he'd been one of the officers stationed outside the Smithy the day before. He was sympathetic to their pleas to be allowed to stay, to get nearer to the farm if they could, and had radioed a senior officer for permission.

They'd eventually been escorted through the blockade, allowed to park the car just a mile or so further along the road where an ambulance was on standby. They'd had to settle for that, Paddy assuring him the farm wasn't too far away, that they could get there in minutes when the time came.

The officer who had earlier come to the house had come to talk to them a short time later, he made no mention of the fact they'd ignored his instructions, just calmly informed them that as soon as the armed unit was in position they would be sending in a trained negotiator, he would attempt to get some dialogue going with Poulter, assess the situation and hopefully persuade him to release Aaron and give himself up. He'd told them it could be over in minutes but it was much more likely to take hours.

All they could do now was wait.

/

No wonder Baz had ignored his threats, no wonder he'd looked so calm facing a gun, he knew he was in no danger.

He couldn't believe he'd messed up so badly again, that he'd gone through all that for nothing. He didn't want to give up hope of getting out of here, but what did he do now? He could barely stand let alone take on Baz, he was so weak, and he felt so ill.

There was a roaring in his ears now, and his eyes were struggling to focus. He wanted to fight it but he couldn't, not anymore, the pain... the dizziness... he just couldn't fight it anymore... he was going to have to give in to it; he was going to have to give in to the darkness...

Then suddenly he was opening his eyes to the light. Dazed but aware something was very wrong, and suddenly remembering why.

He looked around him; he was back in the hallway, but lying on the floor this time, something tucked under and cushioning his head. He didn't know how long he'd been out, but obviously long enough for Baz to get him back inside, and see to his wound! His overalls top was open, a clean towel placed over the bullet hole, he couldn't see any leakage now, so Baz had somehow managed to stop the bleeding too.

How come he wasn't back in the cellar? Hadn't his attempt to escape, his attempt to shoot him, angered Baz? It can't have done, and that confused him... but then nothing Baz had done so far could be reasoned out.

Where was he anyway? He wouldn't have gone off and left him on his own again...no, no he could hear him in the kitchen, he could hear running water. He licked his dry lips, hoping a glass of the cool liquid was coming his way. It did just a minute or so later.

Baz had hauled him into a sitting position, he thought he was going to pass out again when the movement caused a fire to ignite in his shoulder, but the thought of a drink had him fight it this time.

He'd drank the whole glass but still he was thirsty, he knew what such a thirst meant, that'd he'd lost way too much of the red stuff!

He rested his head back against the wall, panting, air hungry. He'd felt bad enough before he passed out but he was feeling a lot worse now, and he was scared, more scared than he'd ever been before. He knew time, his time, was running out.

"**You shouldn't have done that."**

He shook his head in disbelief; couldn't Baz see he was slowly dying before his eyes? "I had to, I need help, a doctor, otherwise I'm going to die. Is that what you want Baz? For me to die? Why? What did I ever do to you?" If he was going to die he wanted to know why.

"**You know what you did Sean! You left me; you walked out on me, and you went off with him!"**

Sean? Was Baz just getting his name mixed up with someone else's or was there something more going on here? Something told him there was, "Baz, who's Sean?" The older man was eyeing him curiously now, a smile then forming on his lips.

"**You look like him you know, very like him. When I first saw you in Bar West I thought you were him."**

"So Sean's an ex-boyfriend?" Was he what this was all about?

"**We were together five years, we lived together, I was happy and I thought he was too...but then he met someone else and he left me."**

He could hear the hurt in Baz's voice, and he'd actually sounded rational. Maybe he would listen to reason now? "Baz, Sean hurt you, not me, not Jackson..."

"**You were talking to me, you were interested in me and then 'he' showed up. You just walked over to him, left me standing there. He was smiling, he was happy, he had you. He had something I wanted!"**

The way Baz was slipping in and out of madness was unnerving, He'd heard someone say that the line between sanity and insanity was a fine one well he knew now just how true that was.

"**I wanted to...**

"What? What did you want to do?"

"**I wanted to hurt him like he'd hurt me!"**

"Is that why you did all those things to his van? Why you tried to run him off the road? Why you shot him?"

"**He came between us."**

"No. Not Jackson, that was someone else, you're getting him mixed up with someone else, you're getting me mixed up with someone else!"

"**We were happy before he came along weren't we? You loved me, you wanted me."**

"Baz I'm not Sean! I might look like him but I'm not him, you know I'm not him, and Jackson isn't the man Sean left you for." He was struggling to get his head around all this but it seemed Baz's mind had twisted fact. He'd turned all the hurt all the anger he felt towards the cause of his pain, on Jackson, and Baz's view of him was just as twisted, he...

There was someone outside! Calling them both by name. The disembodied voice driving Baz to his feet, causing him to stare over at the front door.

He'd just identified himself... it was the police! He couldn't believe it, his clue, his one word clue had led them here after all!

Why was he smiling? The nightmare wasn't over, not yet.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Stalker

Part 24

They never argued him and Paddy, they just calmly talked things through. Right from the start, from them very first meeting they'd got on like a house on fire. They'd found they had quite a few things in common, the most important being Aaron, their love for him. But all the worry, the strain was getting to them. He'd been offhand with the older man back at the house but that hadn't been the last of his ill temper.

Confined to the car, a brooding silence had slowly turned to intermittent conversation, but then they'd started snapping at each other and before they knew it they were arguing, and over something he thought they'd both agreed on. That being not to tell Chas what was happening with her son. He didn't think they should, Paddy had agreed initially but after giving it some more thought he'd changed his mind. The argument had been going back and forth for some time now, both their voices raised.

"**He's her son! She should know! We have to tell her."**

"No! Not until it's over."

"**Jackson..."**

"Just so she can sit here with us and go through the same kind of hell we are right now? No! If I can spare her that Paddy then I will." He honestly thought he was doing the right thing by keeping Chas in the dark. She would probably hate him for it but he could live with that. Cain would probably want to rip his head off for not telling him but Aaron's uncle had a history of taking matters into his own hands, what if he was to do that now? He knew there were others who'd feel it was their right to know, Zak, the head of the Dingle family for one. But why torture them unnecessarily?

Silence had descended between him and Paddy again, an uncomfortable one this time. His fault. But then all of this was his fault.

/

The police presence had aggravated Baz, it seemed to have pushed him further into his own deluded little world. The officer had asked for a verbal response from them both, Baz had ignored the request and told him to keep quiet too. His disturbed mind had twisted fact again; he now believed the officer outside was his ex Sean's boyfriend.

"**That's that Dean out there; he's come looking for you!"**

"No it's the police! He just told us who he was."

"**He doesn't give up does he?**

It seemed Baz only heard what he wanted to hear, only believed what he wanted to believe. It scared him how the older man's mind worked. Was there no way of reasoning with him, no way of getting through to him, no bringing him back to reality.

"**He thinks you're going to leave me for him again but you're not are you?"**

"I'm not Sean!" He spat in desperation, he couldn't let Baz believe he was. "I'm Aaron remember? I live in Emmerdale, I work in the garage there, remember?"

"**Aaron?"**

Baz was looking hard at him now, studying his face and for a minute he thought he was seeing who he really was, and not some ghost from his past. But the officer had started to call to them again, distracting the older man, drawing his attention, his gaze away from him, back to the front door**. **He decided to pick up and run with the policeman's words,"Baz he's asking if we're alright, I'm not and neither are you." His broken nose had to be hurting him, it was swollen, the bruising spreading, starting to blacken his eyes. He didn't seem to be aware of any physical pain though, only emotional. "Baz we both need to get to the hospital..." The older man was looking at him again, his eyes settling on his blood soaked overalls.

"**Did I do that?"**

The question threw him, Baz had sounded shocked. It was the first time he'd shown anything resembling remorse. He wanted to say 'yes you fucking did' but he bit back on his anger, that wouldn't get him anywhere, and if Baz was lucid now and it seemed he was, what he really needed to do was reason with him. "You didn't mean to hurt me, not me, not Jackson. You never meant to hurt anyone... you didn't know what you were doing. The police, they'll understand that, they'll get you the help you need, get me the help I need."

"**I don't need help!"**

"Alright but I do. I've got a bullet in my shoulder; I've lost a lot of blood. I'm nineteen; I don't want to die... " He was thinking of Jackson now, what they had together, "...I've only just started to live."

/

Paddy had been the one to break the tense silence. He'd wanted to try and reassure him. He knew that he was worried about Aaron's quick temper, his backchat, the fact he was capable of winding up his captor without even trying. So he'd reminded him of just how sharp he was, how he could think on his feet, of just how resilient he was. Then he'd said something that had really bolstered his spirits, that now Aaron had him in his life he wasn't reckless with it anymore.

/

He didn't know how long the police had been out there, half an hour? An hour maybe? He did know they weren't getting anywhere with Baz. He seemed miles away, deep in thought. He wasn't listening to a word the officer was saying, at least it didn't seem to be registering, but it was with him, "Baz, all we have to do is walk through that door and this will be over..."

"**Go on then."**

"What?"

"**You go."**

He was letting him go? He'd been prepared to reason with him indefinitely but he'd not really expected him to release him, but all of a sudden it seemed he would. He sensed that something wasn't right. "Baz?"

"**Come on." **

Baz had roughly pulled him to his feet, then helped him towards the front door, leaving him dazed by the sudden turn of events. Just before opening the door the older man had yelled, **"We're coming out."** The officer had quickly responded to that by asking Baz to come out first, on his own. But again he didn't appear to be listening, he was gesturing for him to go, telling him he'd follow him out.

He'd hesitated unnerved by Baz's latest behaviour, then told himself he shouldn't be, that it had been erratic all the way along. Taking a steadying breath, trying to ignore the pain, he then stepped out though the door, in to the now fading light. He couldn't see anyone but he sensed a great many pairs of eyes on him.

Someone was talking to him, calling him by name, reassuring him, telling him where to make for... he'd be lucky, he'd have to walk in a straight line to get there, there was no way he could do that, he wasn't even sure he could walk that ...

What the...? He'd just heard the sound of a rifle being loaded... behind him... Baz! No! No he wouldn't, not now, not now he was so close to freedom, to help, to Jackson... he was out here somewhere, he knew he was...

/

A gunshot had just shattered the silence, the sound almost causing his heart to stop. It had come from the direction of the farmhouse, where Aaron was.

What had just happened? Had his world just come to an end?

Now in a blind panic he leapt out of the car. Someone was shouting ... him, he was shouting! He was shouting his boyfriend's name. Wanting to get to him, desperate to get to him. He knew Aaron needed him. But someone was holding him, stopping him, telling him he had to wait. And as he struggled against the restraining hands he heard someone shouting for the paramedics.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Stalker

Part 25

He'd sensed the gun on him, had closed his eyes, held his breath, willed Baz to get it over with... but he hadn't wanted to die, he had so much to live for. He had someone special in his life, he knew he was loved and was no longer afraid or ashamed to love in return. He'd sensed Jackson, somehow knew he was close by, just not close enough to tell him one last time that he loved him.

The gunshot had echoed around him, reverberating off the barns, the stone walls; he'd waited for the darkness to claim him, suddenly unafraid to take the first step into the unknown.

Then had come the silence, the calm before the storm that was confusion... he was still standing, still breathing. Why?

Realisation had come next... the gunshot had come from somewhere up ahead of him, from somewhere inside the barn. He could see the shooter now. He didn't need to turn around to know Baz was dead, that a police marksman had just shot him to save his life.

From every direction now came the sound of running feet, there was someone behind him, entering the farmhouse, someone standing beside him, easing him to the ground. All he wanted to do now was sleep and he could now, couldn't he? Now he was safe.

But the policeman wouldn't let him, he kept telling him to open his eyes, to stay with him, like he was going anywhere the state he was in! He just wanted to close his eyes for a minute, that's all. What harm would that do?

The voice was firm but kind, it reminded him of Paddy, and he knew better to ignore the older man when he used that tone with him.

Then the officer was gone, two paramedics kneeling over him instead, they just as determined to keep him awake. One of them was looking at his again bleeding wound the other doing something with his hand... putting in a drip. He'd prefer a drink, ice cold lager would be nice but he'd settle for tap water; just something to wet his lips, and his so very dry mouth.

He was so tired, his eyelids suddenly heavy... too heavy... and he'd just lost the battle to keep them open.

Someone was talking to him again, calling his name over and over... growing more and more distant...

Nearly! He'd so nearly got lost in the darkness, had almost sank into its bottomless depths... but then he'd felt it, a hand on his cheek, warm gentle and loving... Jackson!

He could hear his voice now too, determinedly reaching through the black empty miles that separated them. Letting him know he was there, that he wasn't going to let him go, that he loved him. Those words, for a little while, were all that held him in the world, were all that kept him in this life...

Then came a seemingly endless blur of movement and noise before finding himself surrounded by more strangers, and a darkness he couldn't fight, didn't need to fight, one he knew he would when ready, surface from.

/

They'd been told Poulter was dead, and that once the area was secure they would be allowed to go to Aaron. There had been one shot, the one that had ended the nightmare, so they'd thought Aaron to be uninjured. But then they were told that wasn't the case, and so the relief had been short lived.

The paramedics had been working on him when they got to him, desperately trying to restart his heart. He'd knelt beside him, touched his ashen face, and begged him to come back to him... and he did!

But there was no time to waste, the journey by winding country road would take too long, so the air ambulance had been called and had landed nearby.

He'd been allowed to go with him. Had watched him fight for his life. But then suddenly he'd found himself sitting in the relatives room all alone, again playing the excruciating game of waiting. He'd prayed again, made endless silent pleas, hoping they would be heard that some great power was actually listening.

He'd not been alone for long, Paddy arriving with Chas a little while later. He'd got to his feet and the dark haired Dingle had got in his face and given him a right royal bollocking... and then she'd wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. How he'd needed that hug, the warmth, the comfort, the reminder that the world wasn't really a bad place.

Chas had wanted answers then but he still didn't have any, hopefully Aaron did and would be able to tell them something when he was well enough. And he would get well, he would get through this, there was no other acceptable option.

Hours they'd sat there, endless worry filled hours that took them into early morning before they were told Aaron was out of theatre, and was being taken to Intensive Care.

More waiting, all now impatient to set eyes on him, needing the visual proof that they really did have him back.

Then they were walking into the alien world of bleeping machine, of endless wires and tubes. Where lives hung so precariously in the balance.

Chas was instantly in tears, and he'd struggled to hold his back. He knew he had to be strong for her, for Paddy but most of all for Aaron.

Aaron had slept on, in a drug induced slumber. Still pale but colour was slowly returning to his cheeks.

Now they were waiting for him to open his eyes, another milestone they were all so eager for him to reach. And it came eventually, around midday. He wasn't awake for long though, but every time he did wake up it would be for a little longer, a sign he was getting stronger.

The last time he'd woken up, there'd just been the two of them. Chas and Paddy having gone for a cup of the stuff that got you through all the ordeals known to man. He'd smiled at him, squeezed his hand, told him again that he loved him and he'd got the very same back.

The End

Epilogue to follow.

As always thanks to everyone who has read this story and especially to those who have so kindly left a review, they are much appreciated.

Mererid :-)


	26. Chapter 26

Stalker

Epilogue

It was Monday afternoon, eleven days since the siege at Beck Farm and Aaron was at last coming home. Having borrowed Paddy's car he was on his way to the hospital to collect him. As happy as he was about it he was also feeling a little anxious too, certain the next few days were going to be far from easy for everyone at Smithy cottage.

They all knew what had happened at the farmhouse, and just how delusional Barry Poulter had been. Aaron had told them and of course the police. It was since then, since reliving it all that his mood had changed. He'd never been much of a talker, but could mouth off easily enough if irritated, and it had now moved up a level. One minute he would be snapping irritably at someone and for no reason at all, the next just sitting there staring into space, lost in thought, in a dark memory he suspected. They loved him but between his constant angry outburst and morose silences it was proving difficult to be around him.

Both the police and the medical staff had recommended he have counselling, something that was offered to anyone having gone through such an ordeal. He had been the one to put it to Aaron, picking what he thought was the right moment, when Aaron had seemed in a reasonable mood. He'd had his ears blasted for daring to suggest it. Aaron stating in no uncertain terms that he didn't need to speak to a shrink. When he'd told him it wouldn't be a shrink, just somebody trained to listen and talk him through it, he'd got even angrier with him, saying he didn't need to talk to anybody, that he'd said all that needed saying. So he'd dropped the matter, intending to tackle it again when he came home from the hospital, he knew it wasn't going to get any better that it would probable just get worse and he wasn't prepared to let it go on, none of them were. Probable not today but definitely tomorrow he planned on mentioning the counselling again, pulling out all the stops to persuade Aaron it was something he needed.

He was almost at the hospital now, on a busy section of road, the traffic lights had just turned red and so he had stopped, a van in front of him, making him think of his own van. He'd just had it back after having it repaired and re-sprayed. The mate of Cain's had done a good job of it too. Cain! He'd not been happy about him not telling him about Aaron but he'd not held it against him, in fact he'd gone out of his way to get him a cheap van, a stand in, one he could easily sell on. It meant he could carry on working while his was off the road. His work day had started earlier than ever, he wanting to finish early so he could go home and clean up before heading to the hospital for evening visiting. He wouldn't be going there again after today, not visiting anyway, he would be taking Aaron for physio though, he had a good few months of that ahead of him, it being essential to him getting full use of his arm again.

Ten minutes later he was standing outside Aaron's room, he'd been moved to a single room after leaving Intensive Care. And he for one had been glad of the privacy it afforded at times, the times Aaron had kicked off. He took a steadying breath, wondering what the younger man would find to pick fault with first. As soon as he walked through the door he'd found out, he was told off for being late!

He wasn't late, he was actually five minutes earlier than the nurse had told him to come, but he wasn't going to feed Aaron's ill mood by saying so, so instead said. "You ready?" He'd got some narky comment back about him having been ready for hours and that had set the tone for the drive home.

With some relief he'd half an hour later pulled up in the Smithy's drive. Paddy and Pearl stepping out of the surgery to greet them. Aaron having restricted movement in his left shoulder and his arm being supported in a sling, Paddy had thoughtfully opened the car door for him. But he'd been anything but grateful telling Paddy he wasn't an invalid, that he could have done it himself. Paddy had let it go over his head, like him aware events were weighing heavy on Aaron's mind, and prepared to ride out the storm.

Having hauled Aaron's case out the boot he'd led the way to the front door, gesturing to his van as they passed it. "What'd you think?" He'd thought it an innocent enough question, that Aaron might just be as pleased as he was to see it back to its prime, something else he'd got wrong. Aaron had given it the briefest of looks then without commenting on it had opened the front door and walked inside. He'd gone straight upstairs and after dropping the case in the hallway he had followed him up and into their bedroom.

He'd been overwhelmed then by a rush of emotion, at finally having Aaron home safe, and had reached for him intent on pulling him into a hug but Aaron had shrugged his arms away saying...

"**Is that all you think about?"**

"What?"

"**I came up here to sleep, nothing else."**

He'd been truly taken aback by that, sex had been the last thing on his mind. "I just wanted to hold you, that's all!"

"**I'm tired."**

He'd wanted to say 'So am I, tired of your black mood and of having to walk on eggshells' but he'd swallowed his anger and instead said, "Ok well you get your head down, I'll see you later."

He'd spent the next hour sat at the kitchen table, worrying about Aaron, several times he'd heard him moving about, and eventually he'd decided to go and check on him, finding him standing by the window staring out at the village. It was a while before Aaron realised he was there and when he had eventually turned around he'd asked him, "Did you sleep?"

"**Yeah."**

"No you didn't. I heard you pacing the floor."

"**Then why'd you ask?"**

"To see if you'd fob me off like you have every other time I've asked about you."

"**You're fussing Jackson! Just like Paddy, like my mum ..."**

"I'm not fussing. What I am is concerned. I know there's something wrong." He wasn't going to drop it this time, they were going to have it out whether Aaron liked it or not.

"**No!"**

"It's haunting you isn't it, what happened with Poulter."

"**No."**

"You need to talk about it."

"**I have. I've told you, the police. I'm not going over it all again,"**

"You've told us what happened, but not what you were feeling, what you're feeling now. That's all still bottled up inside of you, it's eating at you, making you lash out at everyone, making you distance yourself from everyone... from me. Aaron you need to talk to someone..."

**"No. I'm not seeing a counsellor!"**

"Then talk to me."

It seemed he'd finally said the right thing, Aaron hadn't offered any comeback, had just sat down on their bed, and in his eyes he'd seen a silent plea to join him.

They'd sat there then, huddled together, Aaron's hand held firmly in his. It was a while before the words came, before the emotions found form and were aired, expressed. Then finally came the tears, the much needed release. He'd let him hold him then, love him.

End

Mererid :-)


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